


The Shadow of Coruscant

by EsriteIatha



Series: Shadow [1]
Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-11-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 07:00:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8240309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EsriteIatha/pseuds/EsriteIatha
Summary: Luke arrives back to the capital planet after a three months long trip and he has to face something dark and dangerous that threatens his family. Bless the Force that he is not alone in this!





	1. Chapter 1

Luke stepped out of the shower with a content smile. He had to admit that traveling great distances with his X-wing could be really uncomfortable. Maybe he should buy a bigger ship... Nah! Nope! After all a long hot shower could solve nearly everything. Moreover, this flat of his had real showers which worked actually with water and for someone who grew up on Tatooine, it was the most blessing thing you can imagine. 

A presence poked at the corner of his mind stopping his musings. Oh, the Solo family arrived home too! He allowed his presence out of his mental bubble and soon felt his twin sister's surprise and joy as she recognized him across the huge building that contained their apartments. What surprised him though was the another presence that answered  
him. A tiny, curious mind called back and he smiled when he recognized it. Little Ben was growing fast. 

Speaking of fast. He really should put some clothe on! 

***

He barely managed to button up his shirt when he heard the enthusiastic buzzing of his doorbell. He answered the door with a grin which widened when Leia jumped into his arms with a happy cry of his name. He just let go of her and Han was already pulling him against his chest. In the end he was lifted up from the floor by Chewie. Wow! He had been away for three months and everybody acted like he just came back from the dead. Well, it felt good to be loved!

"Wanna come in?” he gasped out when he finally was allowed to breath again. 

"No! You are coming with us!” Leia said and grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the apartment. There he managed to stop her. At questioning stares he sighed reached back  
towards his apartment with his right hand and after a second his boots flew into it. Yep, no one noticed till that moment that he was on bare foot. 

***

They spent the evening together like a normal family that they barely had the time to be. Luke played with Ben a lot that the parents didn't seem to mind. Frankly, they were glad not to be the center of the hyperactive one-year old's attention for a bit. Luke hadn’t admitted it yet, but he was using this precious moment to test his new force bond with the child. It was there alright, and grew stronger by every minute they spent together. 

Han ordered their dinner from one of the best restaurant that made deliveries on Coruscant. Luke blessed the Force because his sister and his brother-in-law-and-everything-else-except-blood were both horrible cooks. And himself....well let's not go there...

After dinner he helped Chewie out with the dishes while the parents went through their pre-sleep ritual with Ben. The Wookie liked telling stories and Luke was always ready to listen to the old tales. They finished their task well before the parents (it seemed like he hadn't tired the young Solo child out as much as he believed he had after all) and they had been already lazing around in the living-room when Han and Leia finally joined them. 

Luke had kicked of his boots previously and lay stretched out on the long beige colored sofa. Han picked his feet up and threw them of the furniture and sat down with the tired sigh which turned into grunt when the Jedi's feet ended up in his lap this time. 

"So, did anything happen while I was away?” Luke asked when everyone settled down. 

"Politically everything as good as it can excepted to be finally,” Leia replied with a smile which suddenly turned into a grin. "Han is bored out of his mind!”

"Can you blame me? I'm not used to sitting around! Makes me nervous...” Han trailed off and ran a hand through his hair. Luke frowned at him. Han looked troubled and just being bored usually wouldn’t explain that. 

"Nervous as in restless or nervous as in something terrible is about to happen way?” 

The Corellian didn't reply immediately, but shared a nervous glance with his wife. Come to think of it, Leia looked kind of troubled too.  
"The second one” Han muttered finally. 

Not reassuring, nope, not at all! 

"I need more information than that!” 

"It's probably nothing," Leia started. " A week ago there was an explosion not so far from here. Part of a research facility blew up. I've been having this strange feeling, that we should be alert, because something is coming, but nothing happened." 

Han nodded. "Everything is under control and the investigation showed that it was a simple accident."

Luke sat up and folded his legs under himself. He gazed at his family thoughtfully, then closed his eyes and allowed the Force to take over. He felt how his senses sharpened and expanded their range rapidly. Leia was right. Something felt strange. There was a distant disturbance in the Force what he couldn’t exactly pinpoint, but it was giving away tiny warning waves.  
"Casualties?" 

"Three people died, one was seriously injured and...one disappeared." Luke opened his eyes when he heard his twin's hesitation. 

"Disappeared?"

"Most likely he was too close to the explosion and there are no remains to find," Han shrugged. 

It wasn't very convincing. Luke had seen enough explosions to know that no matter how close someone is to it, something always remains. 

"What did the survivor say?"

"He doesn't talk," Leia looked really sad, "Med-droids say that the shock is too great. Not even his family got through him yet."

"I'll visit him tomorrow" Luke said " and I'd like to check that place out too." he added as an afterthought.

Han and Leia looked and felt relieved. After that they spoke of various things like Ben, Luke's trips, their future plans and of a vacation that the family could spend together finally. 

It was really late when he wandered back to his apartment. Artoo (who spent the evening with his favorite protocol droid) was already there and beeped and him scoldingly. His personal mother-hen! (Okay, one of his mother-hens... He would never understand why was everyone so overprotective of him. Even Mara...) He patted Artoo's dome and went to bed after kicking of his boots. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit his pillow.

***

Everything was dark. Not just your average no lamp dark, but the one which wraps around you like an evil snake and suffocates you. Luke tried to orient himself. He was lying on his back and he couldn't move. The air smelled horrible, like what he imagined death would smell like. He tried to see, but there was still only darkness.

The Force can do anything if you allow it!

It was painful. Every cell in his body hurt as the Force filled him. He didn't understand! The Force was his friend, family, his everything! 

But he finally could see. It was still dark, but he could make out shapes. He was in a… cave? With grate effort he turned his head (it was even more painful) and he froze. On the wall, hanging upside down was a corpse. It had been a man once, but his flesh was rotting on his face which was frozen in a terrified expression. Some sticky stuff was holding him in place and only part of him was visible. Like his terrified face. 

He heard a noise and the smell of death grew stronger. Something was close, very close. He felt a touch against his leg, then against his side. He couldn't even move away a little, his body didn't comply. All he could do was turning his head back to its original position which was facing the ceiling. 

Then he saw it. 

A creature was hovering over him. It was horrible. No eyes, no mouth, no nose, no face. Just a dark head which was held at a strange angle. Its form was flickering and its contours were blurry. It didn't have eyes, but Luke new that it was watching him. 

Mine!

Mine! Mine!mineminemine!

The creature moved towards him with an inhuman speed.

***  
He shot upright gasping. His hands flew to his face and covered it. He reached for the Force and wrapped it around himself like a blanket. It didn't hurt this time. After several shaky breaths he started to regain his composure. That was when he heard Artoo's worried beeping. Looking down he came face to face with the small droid. He forced a smile on his face and reached out a hand to pat him.

"It's okay, Artoo! I just had a bad dream. Just a bad dream."

"It wasn' just a dream! You walked!" the droid babbled worriedly. 

Luke looked around and took a sharp breath. This building had altogether three hundred floors. Every floor contained three apartments and a big hall with a bar and lots of very comfortable couches. He was sitting on one of them. 

"At least it's our floor, right?" he asked shakily. 

"It is. Are you alright?" Artoo asked.

"I'm fine, really! You don't have to worry!" 

"With you, I always have to worry!" Artoo beeped, but accepted the pat he gave him. 

Luke looked around and his eyes settled on the bar. Well, he was pretty sure that he wouldn't sleep that night again. He walked to the bar and asked the serving droid for a communication pad and a really hot chocolate. He got both of them in five minutes and settled down in one of the armchairs near the window. He sipped the sweet drink and let out a content sigh. This thing was amazing! He turned on the communication pad and synchronized it to his personal messenger profile. He was right, he already had a message. 

"Two standard weeks. Naboo, lakes. One-week period. Mara."

Luke grinned brightly. One week alone time with Mara! If, of course the Universe can manage without him for that long. 

"On it, Boss!" he sent with a smile. 

It took her only five minutes to answer. 

"It's in the middle of the night on Crouscant! Why are you up?" 

"Not sleepy" he typed carefully. 

"Skywalker!!!" 

He flinched. Even through texting she can be scary. He sighed and started typing again. Women always know when you are hiding something...

"Had a dream. It's okay, though."

There was a slight pause, then, "Vision?"

That made him pause too. Could it have been a vision? He really hoped it wasn't, but he couldn't dismiss the possibility. 

"Don't think so." he typed after a while. 

"Tell me about it!"

"I will on Naboo. Don't worry! I'm fine!" 

"Skywalker! Really? We are talking about you!" 

After that he had to confirm three times that, yeah he was fine and she shouldn't worry. Few minutes later she said her goodbyes and went back to her work and he was left behind in the dark hall. Okay, not alone because Artoo didn't left his side and was watching over him like the mother-hen he was. 

“I'm fine!" Luke laughed and the droid beeped exasperatedly. He really felt better, though. There were tiny lights placed scattered across the hall and their very dim light with the warm color of the walls created an unique atmosphere. He sniffed his hot chocolate and let out a content sigh. Yes, everything will be alright. 

***

Han stepped out of the Solo apartment and headed towards the lifts. He wanted to get back home with fresh breakfast before Leia woke up. He was pretty sure that he could drag Luke over too before that happened. Though, he would need a huge amount of caf to manage that. Really... The twins weren't morning persons. He was pretty sure a sith lived in his brother's body and only was allowed to come out during the mornings. It was scary! 

He reached the hall of their floor where a surprising sight stopped him in his tracks. Was that Artoo? 

"Artoo?" he asked softly. The droid who was standing next to one of the black colored couches turned its dome towards him and let out a soft beeping noise. Han frowned and walked closer and he met with the second surprise of the day. Was that Luke sleeping on the couch? 

"Luke?" younger man stirred a little, so he called out again. Luke opened his eyes and looked up at him with a confused expression. 

"Han?" 

"What are you doing out here, kid?" 

The blond man looked around with a frown, then made a soft 'oooh' sound and sat up with a sheepish grin. "I fell asleep." 

“Out here..."

"Yep!" 

"Because?" 

Luke just shrugged and got up stretching slowly. He turned back towards the older man and examined his appearance questioningly. "Where are you going?" 

"For breakfast. You know! Most important meal of the day! 

"I'm coming too! Let's go!" 

And Luke was already walking towards the lifts. Han let out an exasperated sigh in the same time with Artoo. 

"Luke!" 

"Yes?" 

"Shoes!" 

Luke looked down at his bare feet and grinned sheepishly again. 

"A minute!" and he disappeared in his apartment. 

"And he is the Hero of the Galaxy. Our Great Jedi Knight!" Han muttered with a fond smile. However, Artoo didn't share his positive thoughts and beeped sadly which made Han frown again. 

"Are you worried? Why are you worried?" 

However, the droid didn't have the time to reply, because Luke was already walking towards them with in his full Jedi uniform. All black of course. 

"That was fast!" Han commented and he fell in to steps with the younger man. 

"I had to be. My bed was way too tempting." Luke shrugged and they stepped into one of the lifts. 

"You could have stayed you know. I would have woken you up when I got back." 

"I want to go for a walk."

Han stopped arguing. You never win an argument against Luke. Or Leia. Maybe it's another Skywalker thing. But he frowned again (it will end up as a permanent expression on his face if he continues to do that) when they stepped out of the building and Luke pulled his jacket closer on his body. Han knew that Luke was usually cold, he grew up on Tatooine after all and every other planet seemed way too cold for him. But it was a warm morning! You didn't even need a jacket that time of the year. 

"You cold?" he asked finally. 

Luke blinked at him then at his clothing and shrugged. "I have to get used to this weather again, I guess" 

"Where exactly were you again?" 

"Jakku." 

The name was familiar, but Han didn't remember the planet. "What is it like?" 

Luke grinned up at him knowingly. "Desert planet."

Oh, Han remembered. But Jakku was not just desert planet, it was even less civilized than Tatooine. 

"And what exactly were you doing there?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Jedi stuff."

"Jedi stuff..."

"Yep!" Han snorted. He always knew that Luke was anything but simple, but he was pretty sure that nowadays the young Jedi made it his personal mission to be as difficult as possible. So, Han leaved it at that. 

They reached the bakery where Han bought their breakfast and Luke his first caf that day. On their way back, Luke’s gaze fell on a building few blocks away from them. He stopped in his tracks and watched the dark ruins where the roof should have been. He felt even more cold now. Han stopped next to him silently his gaze on the ruins too. The building used to be high and stood above the few of its smaller neighbors. The top third of it was ruined beyond repair. It was a really sad sight. 

“I want to go there first," Luke said quietly. His eyes narrowed and their blue color turned into an icy lighter shade what usually happened in his darker moods.

Han nodded, "I'll go with you." 

Luke turned towards him and smiled, his eyes turning back to their usual sapphire color. 

"Thanks!" 

Their lightheartedness came back by the time they reached home. Leia was up already thanks to Ben, who was fussier than usual. When both Leia and Han failed to calm him down, Luke took him from his mother's arms and as soon as his uncle touched him, the child quieted down. 

"Okay! I'm convinced, you got the job!" Han said with a big grin. Luke looked confused.

"What job?" 

"Babysitter!"

Chewie arrived soon too and sat down to eat together. Han sat back and admired the view. Who would have thought that someday these four person would be his reason to live? But here he was and he wouldn't have it any other way! 

After breakfast while consuming a huge amount of caf Leia called Mon Monthma telling her about Luke's plans. 

"She agrees!" she said when she ended the call. "She thinks your presence will do good for those people who were affected by the accident"

Han grimaced but said nothing. He really didn't like how people used Luke's and Leia's talents for politics and such things. But Luke didn't seem to mind and just nodded with an empathic smile. 

Winter came and took Ben with her for the day, so the other four could head out too.

***

There was a human male waiting for them when they parked their speeder and got out. He was middle aged and… grey. Grey hair, grey clothing, even grey eyes. And those eyes ignored every one and everything except the young Jedi. 

"Luke Skywalker? What a great pleasure to finally meet you! I just wish the circumstances were different. I'm Professor Lardi Zonlain by the way." even his voice sounded grey. 

Luke took the offered hand with a serious expression. "I'm sorry for your lost!" 

The man nodded and waved at the building. "I've been working here for thirty years. My whole life has been blown away that day. And I'm one of the lucky ones." 

"Can I go in there?" Luke asked. 

"With caution, yes of course. Only the upper part of the building is damaged too badly. I'll show you around." 

Han turned towards his wife. "Please stay out with Chewie. I'll go in with Luke."

Leia rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "Han! You know I can take care of myself. I'll be careful!" 

"No! Han is right!" they all turned towards Luke who was watching the building with a hardened gaze. "I don't want you in there!" 

Han gave his wife a quick hug "Well, you heard the Jedi!" 

Leia sighed but stayed put next to Chewei. She had learnt to listen to his brother's warnings and knew when to swallow down her pride.  
"Be careful!" she warned. 

Han and Luke nodded in unison and followed Zonlain into the building.

"I have a bad feeling about this!" Leia muttered to the Wookie while fighting with that sudden need to grab those two men and take them as far away from this place as possible.

***

"I just arrived yesterday and I don't have lots of information. Can you tell me what kind of research facility is this?" Luke asked Zonlain as they walked down one of the dark corridors. Because of the explosion there was no electricity in the building. The walls were made of durasteel and no one bothered to cover its metal color. Here and there they saw steel doors without any kind of label. The whole place reminded them of the insides of the First Death Star. Not something they wanted to be reminded of. 

"Military." Zonlain replied to Luke's question. 

Luke winced and failed to hide it properly. 

"There is still lots of conflict out there you know. The New Republic has to be on the top of its game if we want to keep our people safe." Zonlain explained defensively. Before Luke could say anything, Han spoke up.

"You said thirty years. That means-"

"Yes, we served the Empire," the professor cut him off coldly. "Not everyone was free to do whatever they wanted, you know, Captain Solo! We had families, people to keep safe whatever it takes!" 

"I'm sorry! We didn't mean it like that." Luke stepped in between them. With a look he shut Han up. "We know there are things that has to be done."

Zonlain nodded at the Jedi and his expression softened. "I agree. Can we continue?" 

They did. Zonlain led them through more and more corridors. Explaining some of the rooms purposes, not that he allowed them to enter any of them. In the end Han noted that he still didn't know anything about the building at all. He noticed that Luke became way too quiet after their little argument though. 

Finally, they reached the site of the explosion. Or rather the huge metal door that was installed after the accident and which locked the ruined place away. 

"Can we go in there?" Luke asked. 

Zonlain looked apologetic. "I'm afraid no. It's a restricted area." 

"I'm sure you can allow us to pass," the blond man tried his best smile. It didn't work. 

"No, I can't. I'll face jail time if I do." 

"What project were you working on when it happened?" Han asked. 

"It's confidental." 

Luke wasn't paying attention by that time. Something was brushing against his mind, so he opened himself up cautiously. Suddenly, there was cold and darkness. It felt like he was being sucked into vacuum.

Minemineminemine!

"Luke!" 

He opened his eyes and blinked confused. When did he close them? And why was he laying on the floor? 

"Did I pass out?" he asked hoarsely. And what was wrong with his voice?

"Yes, you did! Are you alright? What happened?" Han looked way too concerned. Luke didn't like it. 

"I'm fine! I'm pretty sure it was just jet lag! I had to travel a lot." he said with a sheepish smile. However, Han looked way too incredulous to know it didn't work. 

"There is a med-center few blocks from here. I'd prefer if a med-droid checks you out there." Zonlain spoke over Han's shoulder. 

"Is this where the survivor is treated?" Luke asked and finally convinced Han to allow him to sit up with a glare. Zonlain nodded hesitantly. 

"Than off we go!" 

Jumping to his feet wasn't his best idea. (That day wasn't his best at all...) as soon as he straightened himself a dizzy spell washed over him and he nearly ended up on the floor again. Lucky him! Han caught him. Bless the Force for big brothers. 

“I'm fine!" he said before the other two could ask, but allowed Han's grip on his shoulder to stay where it was. 

They heard a commotion on their way back and suddenly found themselves face to face with a determined Wookie and an even more determined senator. 

"She said that the cub is not well," Chewie growled as he spotted them. He narrowed his eyes at the Jedi. "I agree." 

"Luke! Are you alright?" Leia asked as she ran up to her twin. "I felt something!" 

Note to yourself! Shield your presence! Luke thought as he rolled his eyes. 

"I'm fine! You were supposed to stay outside!" he huffed exasperatedly. 

"We are going to the med-center," Han said before the twins could start one of their arguments. It was always about the other one's health. By the way he was pretty sure that they would just argue mentally on the rest of the way. He volunteered to drive the speeder and he was thankful that Zonlain didn't fit into the small vehicle, so he had the chance to ask. 

"What do you think about him?" 

The twins broke up their staring match and gazed at him questioningly. Yep, definitely a mental battle.

"Who?" 

"Zonlain." 

Luke scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I don't know. He keeps secrets that's sure. But you were there. He said confidential a lot. I couldn't get more from him and I was concentrating on the building more actually." 

"Professor Lardi Zonlain," Leia repeated the name. She was searching through a datapad with an intense look on her face. "We have nearly nothing on him. His files say confidential a lot too." 

"Can you get us the magic word?" Han grinned at his wife. 

"I'll ask Mon Mothma," she nodded. 

They arrived to the med-center and Leia got themselves a droid who would check Luke out. Eventually, the Jedi followed it with a very Leia like eye roll. However, as soon as the door of the examination room closed behind him, he touched the droid with the Force. First he programmed it to believe that the examination had been done and the result were perfect. Then he asked for the autopsy records of the three victims. The droid installed it onto to a datapad and handed it to him. 

"Thank you!" Luke smiled and hid the databad in his jacket. He walked out of the examination room and followed Leia's presence through the corridors till he arrived to a waiting-room. The only people there were Leia, Han, Chewie, Zonlain and a woman with a child. Plus, a really small levitating droid. 

"Perfectly fine!" Luke answered before any of them could ask.

Leia nodded reluctantly then motioned at the woman with the child. "Let me introduce you to a Ilren Lakrys. She is the wife of Dr. Sypet Lakrys, the injured scientist."  
Luke took the woman's outstretched hand and smiled gently at her. "I'm Luke Skywalker."

"They told me maybe you could help him. We can't reach him. Not even me or Gibek." she motioned her son who couldn't be more than five years old. Too young to see his father in a catatonic state. 

"I'll try my best!" he promised. He nodded towards the room which from he sensed the husband. He felt lot like Gibek. "Can I?" 

Ilren nodded and moved to follow him just like all of them. His raised hand stopped them though. "I'd like to do it alone. It's important that I focus just on him."  
He got reluctant nods, but still the droid followed him. It was a new type of medical droid so he guessed he could allow it. In reality he was experienced enough to shut out everyone else. His real reason was that he had few encounters with damaged minds and he could never know what reaction he would trigger with his probing. He really didn't want a child or even a wife in there if the worse happened. 

The door shut behind him and he was (nearly) alone with Sypet Lakrys. He was young compared to Zonlain. Maybe five years older than Luke. His black hair was greasy, his face ghostly pale and his green eyes were gazing out of the window devoid from any life. Luke sat down on to the chair next to the bed and watched the human in front of him. No five years old should see their father like this. 

"Dr Sypet Lakrys? I'm Luke Skywalker." he introduced himself softly. There was no reply, not that he expected one. He gently reached out with his mind and tried to touch Lakrys'. However, he just slammed into a wall. He probed along it searching for a weak point, but he couldn't find one. He sighed. This was one of the more difficult types. He rose and sat onto the edge of the bed and touched the man's temples with his hands. He raised a sound proof bubble around the room with the Force. No five years old should listen to their father's screams. 

"I'm going in!" he warned gently and he did. He pushed against the wall with as much force as he dared and soon it gave away. He had nearly drowned in the flood of memories and feelings. He felt Lakrys' pain as the heat of the explosion burnt his body. He felt his fear as a man next to him was dragged away into the inferno by something. He heard the screams of the one who had been taken. He felt betrayal as he saw someone running away from his outstretched hand. Was it Zonlain? He felt something coming, something evil and cold. Luke took a deep breath and pulled Sypet away. He imagined grabbing the scientist's hand dragging him towards himself, covering the terrified man with the warmth of the Force. Once he was out, he raised a wall against the evil presence and the memories. A wall stronger than the one he just destroyed. It was created by the Force. No man could destroy that one. 

Luke staggered backwards. Miraculously he ended up on the chair as he slipped away from the bed. His eyes met Lakrys' green ones and he found them shining brightly with life and tears. 

"Thank you!" Sypet gasped out and all Luke could do was nod. The medical droid floated forward. 

"Dr Lakrys? I'm your medical examiner. I need to do few test." 

Luke used that time to try to collect himself. He had a suspicion that he looked as bad as the scientist in the bed. The droid finished its work in few minutes.

"His recovery could be considered miraculous," it stated simply. Luke nodded his thanks and forced a smile on his face. 

"Your wife and son is here. Do you want to see them?" 

Lakrys nodded happily and Luke forced himself on his feet.

***

Leia fought the need to pace up and down in the waiting-room. Han's pacing was irritable enough on its own. Ilren and Gibek sat huddled together on one of the uncomfortable looking chairs. Zonlain excused himself few minutes ago and left. Next to her Chewie stood like a guard next to the door to Lakrys' room. 

When the door finally opened they moved in unison and formed a half circle around it. Luke blinked at them surprised, but focused his attention on the mother and son. 

"He would like to see you," he told Ilren softly and stood out of the way. The woman passed him cautiously, but as soon as her gaze fell upon her very happy looking husband, she nearly flew into his arms. Another rocket passed Luke in the form of Gibek and the Jedi closed the door to allow them some privacy.

"He won't remember the accident at all. But I think this is the better alternative," he explained. 

Leia reached out and grabbed his arm. "You okay?"

Her brother smiled tiredly. "Kinda sleepy, otherwise fine." 

"You look ready to fall over, kid!" Han commented with a shake of his head. "Come on! That's enough for today."

Luke shrugged but didn't protest. It was a good indicator how tired he really was. He actually fell asleep in the speeder on their way home.

"I'm pretty sure Chewie can carry him upstairs!" Han suggested as he parked the speeder. Leia gave him her well practiced death glare from hell. She definitely wouldn't allow anyone to see how the iconic Jedi knight of the New Republic is carried upstairs like a child. Even if he looked way too cute when he was asleep. So, she gently shook her brother awake.

"We are home, Luke!" 

The blond man nodded drowsily and followed them into the building. By the time they reached their floor he was more or less awake. 

"I commed Threepio. He'll have something for us to eat." Leia grabbed her brother's arm and pulled him towards the Solo apartment before he could protest. 

***  
To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the first chapter. I'm sorry that it's only self-beta-read. I really changed the timelines in the extended universe and be warned that Leia isn't force trained in this one. More will come!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke and Han continues their investigation and they find something they didn't want to find.

Luke yawned as he stepped into his apartment two hours later. Artoo followed him inside and locked the door behind them. His flat was exactly the same as the Solo apartment, though he didn’t use two of the spare rooms. He had allowed Leia and Winter to decorate this place and he had to admit they were really good at that. He had a study next to the main bedroom where he powered up his personal computer and pulled out the datapad he got from the med-droid from his jacket. 

"You still cold?" Artoo beeped next to him. "You should sleep."

"I'm fine, Artoo," he replied, but didn't take of his jacket. Actually he was still cold. He left the study while his computer ran through the starting programs and walked into the kitchen to prepare some caf for himself. He loved the feeling when the mug warmed up his hand. His computer just finished its updates when he sat down with the mug in front of it, so he was able to connect the datapad. 

Autopsy record of Dr. Bartha Khi, Proffessor Hatthar Wonpack and Proffessor Myris Za. These were the words that ran across the monitor when he opened the files. The records were short, but still Luke felt drained and hollow when he finished reading them. Not a lot remained after the accident. The officers had to scan the body parts with DNA scanners to identify the victims. That was all the records could tell him. Sighing he rubbed his eyes. Never in his life he had planned to investigate something like that.   
"Artoo, can you get the official reports for me?" 

The droid beeped affirmative and connected to the computer too. 

"And any information you can find on the research team, please!" Luke added absently. What did Leia say, how much time have to pass between two cafs? Never mind! And he left to make other one. It was barely evening and he already felt like something the Rancor spat out. 

Few minutes later Artoo beeped and Luke wandered back to the computer. 

"Well, this says classified a lot!" He muttered as he read through the reports. Project Astolas. Leader scientist Professor Lardi Zonlain. Team members: Professor Lardi Zonlain, Proffessor Hatthar Wonpack, Proffessor Myris Za, Dr. Bartha Khi, Dr Sypet Lakrys, Dr. Varoa Lakme and Dr. Dakla Synthnee. 

After that everything is classified. 

"Who did disappear?" he asked Artoo. 

The name Varoa Lakme appeared on the monitor. 

"Can you get me a picture?" 

Artoo pulled the group's holopicture forward and promised to search for more. Luke thanked him and ran his eyes over the scientists smiling back at him. They looked so happy and proud. They were all humans, maybe because of the Empire's racism. Two women, five men. Zonlain seemed to be the oldest. Luke's gaze fell upon one of the men and he frowned. He looked very familiar, but from where? He closed his eyes and let the Force search through his memories. Faces flashed in front of him and suddenly...

On the wall, hanging upside down was a corpse. It had been a man once, but his flesh was rotting on his face which was frozen in a terrified expression. Some sticky stuff was holding him in place and only part of him was visible. Like his terrified face. 

Luke gasped as his eyes flew open. He grabbed the edge of the table and tried to calm himself down enough so he could breath properly. Artoo's frantic beeping didn't help either.   
"I'm fine, Artoo!" he forced out. He pointed at the man on the picture. "That's Lakme, right?"

Artoo beeped a sad affirmative. An individual picture of Lakme appeared on the screen. He was in his forties, had graying dark brown hair, long face and a characteristic mustache. He looked happy on this holopicture too. Luke wished that his Force vision's wouldn't come in symbolic forms. Because that was it right? A symbolic dream of Lakme which was supposed to tell him to investigate this accident. That's all. 

He rubbed his eyes and took another calming breath. 

"Show me everything we have on Dakla Synthnee! Where was she when all of this happened?" 

She was the only survivor of the team next to Zonalin who could give him some information and he would get it. 

*** 

Artoo watched over his Master worriedly. (Actually, he didn't consider Luke his Master, rather a child he is taking care of). It had been late, when Luke finally had gone to bed and a nightmare took hold of him almost immediately. The young Jedi was tossing and turning in his bed muttering softly. He tried to wake him up, but even his loudest beeping wasn't enough. He had two options left. Electroshock or calling for help. He weighted his options then decided with a sad beep. 

Calling for help, that's it. 

He beeped his promise to the suffering Jedi and rolled away as fast as he could. He left their home. He didn't head towards the Solo apartment, but the other one on their floor. He connected to the apartment's alarm and triggered it. In what it seemed like only couple of seconds the door whooshed open and he came face to face with a snarling Wookie. Not that he scared Artoo, nope at all. He bumped against Chewie's leg and turned our heading back. The wookie let out a confused call, but followed him dutifully. 

Chewie understood the little droid as soon as he stepped into the cub's apartment. He smelled distress and fear even before he reached the bedroom. He rushed past the small droid. He grabbed Luke by the shoulders and pulled him against his chest. He growled shootingly and tried to project warm and joy towards the Jedi. The cub was a creature of the Magic. He'll receive it. Few minutes later the human's body relaxed and small hands fisted into his fur.

"Chewie?" Luke mumbled softly. 

"Do you feel better, Cub?" the wookie asked still holding the human tightly and started patting his blond hair. 

"I'm fine, Chewie! You can let me go now."

"You keep saying fine, but I don't think that you know its correct meaning. Won't let you go! You are still cold!" 

Luke gave up after that. Compared to himself Chewie was old and near him Luke could forget that he was supposed to be the big almighty Jedi of the New Republic. He sniffed when smelled something. Was it chocolate? He peeked around Chewie's arm and saw as Artoo rolled towards them with a tray balanced on his head and on the tray there was a cup of steamy hot chocolate. 

"How did you managed that?" Luke laughed, but accepted the gift with gratitude. He sipped the sweet drink leaning against Chewie's chest. Like this it was easier to ignore the nightmare he had. The same one from the other night. He was sure that Lakme's face will haunt him for a very long time. 

He didn't sleep again that night, but his companions didn't leave either. He felt warmer a bit. 

***

Luke was sipping his third caf since dawn as he strode into the Solo apartment. Outside dark clouds covered the morning sunlight and someone had switched the lights on. He spotted C3PO moving around the dining table and greeted him with a smile. 

"Oh, Master Luke! Such a pleasant surprise! Breakfast will be ready in a minute!" the protocol-droid answered, then moved back to the kitchen. 

"Thank you, Threepio!" he called after him and watched as Artoo rolled past him whistling a promise of a good morning banter with his friend. Soon enough Threepio's outraged cry filled the apartment. 

Luke stole a fruit from the bowl the protocol-droid placed on to the dining table few minutes ago. His stomach accepted it only with a slight protest. He threw himself down onto the couch in the spacious living-room and waited. Few minutes later Leia strode in with a screaming Ben in her arms and stopped in front of him offering the child to him.   
"We are out off ideas!" she explained. Luke chuckled, but took Ben in to his own arms and opened his forcebond up for the child. 

"You are a mess!" Luke told his twin. Leia huffed and threw herself down next to him. She was still in her sleeping robe with her long brown hair in a total mess. Two very purple circle were forming under her dark, usually blazing eyes. She rubbed her face with her palms, but it didn’t seem to help. 

"Ben kept us awake during most of the night." she glanced at him without turning her head "and you are the one to talk! You look horrible!"

That he did, he had to admit. Even he had been startled when he glanced into the mirror. His tan that he got on Jakku was gone, but got two huge dark circles under his eyes to compensate his loss (just like his sister’s). Luckily, his body waited with throwing up till Chewie went home and no one would know about that, he vowed. He shrugged. "We are the royal family of long nights." 

At least Ben quieted down in his arms and now he was staring up at him with huge dark eyes. "He cries for attention." Luke explained. "He barely can be with you or Han, so he cries during the night because that way you pay attention to him." 

Leia gazed at her child sadly as his words sank in. Luke handed Ben back to her and she pulled him tightly against her chest. "We have to come up with something," she whispered.

"You share a forcebond, right?" Luke asked and Leia nodded. "Than use it! It will help a lot when you are separated." 

She nodded again while keeping her gaze on her son. Han walked in too with dripping hair and huge yawn. He blinked at the twins then showed them a lopsided grin. "You two look horrible!" 

He got a pair of identical glares sent his way. He shrugged and threw himself down onto an armchair. "Plans?" 

"I have meetings with Mon Mothma and few other senators," Leia rocked her son on her knees as she spoke. "I'm taking Ben with me." 

Han's frown was disapproving. "Do you think that's a good idea?" 

"It's harmless!" 

"He will be bored to death! That's not harmless!" the ex-smuggler muttered, but Leia just ignored him. Luke's encouraging smile was enough for her. 

"I wanna speak with Dakla Synthnee. Maybe she can tell me something other than classified," Luke told them. Han considered him for a few seconds.

“Dakla Synthnee is one of the scientists from Project Astolas, right?”

“Yep!” 

"I'll come with you. " 

"And I'll ask Mon Monthma about this project. Whatever it was she must have access to it." Leia nodded. Her shared gaze with her husband told Luke that Han wasn't just curious, but he was volunteering for Luke-sitting duty. It was a little bit annoying. Big bad Jedi, remember?

“Artoo! You messed up piece of machinery! Look what you have done!”

The three adults blinked towards the kitchen, but in the end they decided that it was way safer in the living-room and wisely ignored the increasing beeping and shouting from the kitchen. 

***

Han kept glancing at Luke as he drove his speeder through the city. He couldn't help it, he was worried about the kid. Chewie pulled him aside before they left for the day and told him about the incident last night. Han knew that Luke was more prone for nightmares than for example him, but this knowledge didn't make it easier to help the kid through those episodes. Mostly because Luke didn't give a damn about his own health and usually failed to mention that he had any kind of a problem. The other troubling thing was his acceptance of Han's driving. It was a privilege they usually fought over. Really, they drove their whole family crazy as they argued about whose turn was to drive. It always ended with Leia's intervention. However, today Luke took the passenger seat without a word. 

And did he mention that Luke looked like hell?

"You two were right. Something is off," Luke spoke without looking up from the datapad he was reading. 

"Hm?"

"For example," Luke was frowning as he read through the text in front of him, "The offical reports and Zonlain's statements both say that he was somewhere else when it happened. But I'm sure..." 

He trailed off and stared out of their vehicle with a far away look on his face.

"Sure of what?" Han tried to encourage him. 

"I had to break into Lakrys' mind to free him. I saw few flickers of his memories of the accident. I think I saw Zonlain. But of course I can't be completely sure..." 

"Well, I don't like him!" Han stated.

Luke chuckled at his childish declaration and leaned against the speeder's window. "Let's just concentrate on Synthnee now."

Han nodded and turned his full attention back to driving. Heavy rain started to fall the minute they stepped out of their building and suddenly everybody forgot how to drive. Every vehicle moved with snail like speed which for a man like Han was torture on its own. Synthnee leaved in another district and at this rate they wouldn't reach her till midnight. 

"You know you are one ticket ahead of me!" Luke grinned as Han accelerated a bit. "Don't be such a drama queen! We are nearly there." 

Han aimed his forefinger at his friend's way without looking. "You! Stop reading my mind!" 

"Stop being so loud than!" Luke pouted. Not that he could actually read anyone’s mind, but he could sense it. Not that it meant anything different for Han. 

Luke was right, Han had to agree grudgingly because twenty standard minutes later he parked his speeder in front of a house. This part of Coruscant mostly contained houses with small gardens. These were typical family homes for the middle class. The sleeping district from the well loved holo-dramas. Synthnee’s house had white walls, warm brown doors, huge windows with white curtains. It looked idyllic. Han jogged up to the front door but still got wet before he reached the shelter of the terrace. Fingers wrapped around his wrist as he reached up to ring the door bell. His gut started churning as he saw the look on Luke's face. The kid was wide eyed, ghostly pale and his face gave away the horror he was probably feeling. 

"Call Security!" he stammered.

"Luke?" 

"Call Security! Someone died in there!" 

Han cursed and reached for his comlink. They only had to wait ten minutes for them to arrive. Luke strode forward and ordered them to follow him and move with caution. He got five nods and four 'yes, sir!'. At Luke's nod Han picked the lock and drew his blaster. Luke pushed the door open slowly and slipped inside followed by first Han then the four officers. They stopped abruptly as they reached the living room. One of the officers, the youngest, let out chocked sound and ran outside. Han couldn't really blame him. There was blood everywhere and Synthnee's torn corpse lay in the middle of it. 

"Let's clear the house!" the chief officer said. The five of them moved from one room to the other, but there was no one else there. Nor living nor dead. In five minutes they were standing outside the terrace again waiting for a detective and medical examiner to arrive. Han and Luke both gave their statements to the officers and after that there was nothing else to do. 

"What did you feel?" Han asked. Luke turned his gaze away from the rain and looked at him questioningly. "When you noticed. What did you feel?" 

Luke turned away again and licked his upper lip. "It was like... I don't know, it's hard to explain... Like I heard Synthnee scream through the Force, then silence and   
... Cold. Why do you ask?" 

Han ignored the question. "Did anything like this happen to you before?" 

"...Yeah, but it's always different," Luke shrugged. He considered Han's darkening gaze and the scowl on his face and he laughed silently. "Really, Han! I'm a big boy now! I can handle it!" 

"You shouldn't!" Han shot back. Luke's face when they arrived was still too fresh in his mind and the knowledge that what these 'feelings' are doing to Luke clashed with his protective instinct. He didn’t even want to think about Ben and his force sensitivity. At least Leia wasn’t so ready to embrace that ‘gift’ yet. Maybe with a little luck he would be able to convince Ben that flying ships are way better than this. 

"Luke?" the call broke off their argument before it could even start. They both turned towards the new comer. It was a tall and skinny human male with red hair and green eyes. His familiar face was covered with freckles and it sported an enthusiastic grin. "Haven't seen you in ages!" 

"Rys!" Luke replied with a grin of his own and leapt up to meet the other man. They shared a short friendly hug. "Han! You know Rys, right?" 

Han considered the man in front of him and suddenly it clicked. "You were with us on Endor!" 

"Yeah, Captain Solo! But I was friend with that nutcase of a Jedi before that." 

"And now you are a detective," Luke acknowledged and the statement sobered them up all. 

"Exactly. Tell me what did you find?" 

They walked back into the house. Rys paled at the sight, but stood his ground firmly. He called in the medical examiner and started processing the scene. Luke and Han stood at the doorway not wanting to interfere. More and more people arrived with strange instruments. Half hour later Rys mentioned for them and they walked outside. it was still raining, so they had to stay on the terrace. Lucky for them, most of the Security personnel were in the house. 

"It's nothing like I've ever seen before. We still have to wait for the autopsy results, but for me it seemed like something an animal would do..." Rys trailed off and ran a hand through his hair. Han had to bit down on his lower lip to keep his mouth shut, but...

"You are still wearing a bloody glove," Luke, it seemed didn't care. Rys let out an impressive curse and pulled off his gloves.

"What brought you two here?" 

"The explosion." Luke replied. "It feels like something is off."

Rys looked actually relieved which made Han frown. 

"You think? I was the lead detective of that case too. However, the investigation was shut down quickly. Higher-ups took over and stated that it was an accident. But are you investigating?" Rys started pacing. Luke and Han shared a look. So, it wasn’t just them. However, the questions were only multiplying and there was still not a single answer. 

"Rys, listen! Concentrate on Synthnee and we'll look into reopening the investigation of the explosion again. I'll keep in touch!" Luke promised. Rys agreed and hurried back to the crime scene when the medical examiner called for him again. Luke and Han left the place with grim thoughts. 

"Anywhere else you want to go?" Han asked as he started the speeder. Luke leaned against his seat and rubbed his eyes.

"Home will be fine. I have lot's of things on my mind."

Han nodded and steered their vehicle into the traffic. "You should rest a bit. I want to talk with Rieekan. Maybe he can help us somehow. He is the director of Intel after all.” 

“Yeah, and your boss. Try not to piss him off this time!”

“Hey, kid! It was one tiny misunderstanding, okay? You don’t have to rub it in every single time you can!” 

“Nah, I don’t have to… But I want to!” 

Han was pretty sure there was a sith playing hide and seek in his brother-in-law and he stated it loudly through Luke’s laughter. 

To Be Continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually wanted to post this on Friday, but I won't have time. So, here it is. Hope you like it! If you have any thoughts about this story, just leave a comment. It means a lot for me! Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes continue their investigation, but Luke has to face another unexpected danger.

Well, sleep was not always equivalent with rest in Luke's mind, so he chose an alternative. His lightsaber hummed reassuringly in his hand as he moved slowly and graciously on his huge balcony. His favorite part of his apartment. He allowed the Force to take control of his body. His mind wandered in the never ending energy field that surrounded everything, filled everything.

Suddenly pain fleshed through him and with a mute gasp he fell to the floor. His lightsaber rolled away from him, deactivated. He curled up still gasping. He tried to will the pain away, but no matter how he tried to cling to the Force, the pain just grew greater. He had never felt something like this before. It burnt through all of his body, it took away his sight and filled his ears with a horrible noise. It grew stronger and stronger till it reached a point where his body couldn't take it anymore and he slipped away into the darkness.

***

He blinked slowly and turned on his back. Why was he laying outside? He moved to sit up, but fell back when the whole world started spinning. He waited for the dizziness to pass and when he found it safe to move he sat up much slower. He looked around and his gaze fell upon his lightsaber. His memories rushed back to him and he bit down on his lower lip.

Not good. Not good at all...

He stood up shakily and moved inside his apartment. He stumbled into his bath room and blinked at his reflection. Damn, his nose was bleeding. He washed his face with cold water, but the only good thing it did was cleaning the blood off his face. A sudden shiver shook his frame.

Hot shower.

He opened the water and crawled out of his clothes and stepped under the hot droplets. It helped a little. He stayed there until his legs started to shake and he climbed out and wrapped a huge towel around himself. It felt like forever till he reached his bed and he felt down on it still only wrapped in a tower. The wet thing started to bother him so he threw it away and pulled his covers up and around his body.

He was still cold.

The control panel with which he could rise the temperature in the apartment was on the other side of his room. He reached his hand towards it, but stopped in mid motion. The pain was still way too fresh in his mind. He tucked his arm under the blanket and lay there defeated.

Maybe he should get himself checked out with a med-droid...

Between the increasing shivers he dozed off and only woke properly when he heard his apartment door open.

"Artoo?" he called.

There was an answering beep and the little droid rolled into the bedroom.

"Turn up the heat, please!" he asked softly and shifted under the blankets. Artoo let out a worried mechanical sound, but rolled to the control panel. The small screen showed that the heat was turned up few degrees.

Luke sat up dizzily. Clothes. He needed clothes. He blinked when neatly folded shirt, pants, boxers were placed in his lap. He gave a shaky smile to Artoo. "Thanks!"

His mother-hen turned away and he pulled the clothes on.

"I-" he trailed off as he heard his commlink beep. He sighed. "I need to answer that"

He managed to walk into his living-room where he previously threw down the commlink and answered it as he slowly eased himself into an armchair. "Skywalker!"

"Detective Rys Melcon would like to speak with you, Commander." a mechanical voice spoke.

"You are allowed to put him through," he replied.

"Yes, sir!" There was a soft click and Rys' familiar voice reached his ear. "You are not an easy man to reach, pal!"

"Sorry! Did you find something?"

"Not much, but it's strange. But I'd prefer to discuss it in person. Are you free now?"

Luke gazed out of his window thoughtfully. The sun was already on its way down.

"Yes, I'm free. There is a small bar named Ereslia's light. We can meet there in an hour!"

Rys whistled. "Wow! Fancy place!"

Luke rolled his eyes. "I'm paying!"

"That sounds like a plan! Than see you soon, Lord Commander!"

With that Rys ended the call in the middle of Luke's second eye roll. Esreslia's Light was a fancy bar indeed, but it was only five minutes away from Luke's home that was all the distance he was sure he could walk. And he had an hour to make himself presentable.

He spent half of it dozing in the armchair.

Artoo's beeping woke him. He reached for his wallet with a sigh and hid it in his jacket. He pulled his boots on and left the apartment with Artoo following him. In the hall he noticed Han speaking with someone...

"Lando!" he greeted the man with a smile.

"Hey, Luke! When did you get back?" Lando gave him a friendly hug. "Few days ago. I tell you about it, but I have to meet with someone." he turned his gaze at Han. "Rys said he has news."

Han frowned at him with open concern. "I'll go with you."

"Nah!" Luke smiled reassuringly. "It won't take long and Artoo will watch over me."

Han nodded grudgingly and Luke waved his goodbyes. He barely stepped into q lift when heard Lando's whispering voice.

"You know we can follow him and he won't even know..."

"I will know!" he called back loudly and smirked at Lando's face as the lift door closed.

***

Luke walked into Esreslia's Light and tried to surpass his shivering. He walked up to the bar and looked around searching for Rys. This place used to be a ship, but the owner turned it into a bar when he decided that he was too old to be a smuggler. He chose the place where he placed the ship cleverly, it wasn't just in the city center, but the Palace itself was only a street away. The frequent visits of tired higher-ups brought good money for the owner. The place itself was dimly lit, the walls were white and around the center, where the bar was located, a maze of booths ensured privacy.

Luke ordered a drink without alcohol and waited. It took few minutes, but Rys arrived finally and Luke waved him over, when the red haired eyes fell upon him. The detective ordered some kind of liquid (one with very high alcohol percentage, but Luke won't comment) and they sat down in one of the booths. This tiny places were sound proof which was an added plus.

"You don't look well," Rys observed as he sipped his drink.

Luke shrugged "Maybe I caught a bug or something."

"Can Jedis do that?"

"Very funny," Luke muttered. "What did you find?"

Rys took a huge gulp of his drink and ran his hand through his hair with a sigh. "Our medical examiner did the autopsy on Synthnee's remains. She died three days ago. It seems like a huge animal tore her apart, but man, this whole planet is one huge city. There is no nature! No animal this size could exist here."

Luke frowned chasing ideas. "A runaway pet, very exotic one, maybe? Rich people are well known of buying small exotic creatures and throw them away when they are too big to handle. It was a common thing on Tatooine among the Hutts."

"There was no sign of forced entering and she didn't keep pets either. House was way too clean and lacked the essential stuffs." Rys pushed few buttons on the ordering panel when he finished his drink. Luke hoped that he didn't want to get wasted because he wasn't in the right condition to deal with something like that.

"And that's not all. When I got back to the station I got another call. Another house, same situation. The victim is Draxzia Kour, bothan male mauled to death in his own home yesterday evening." Rys explained and as soon as the serving droid arrived with the exact same drink he had before, the detective started drinking it greedily.

"Hey! Easy!" Luke leaned forward and touched his arm. Rys actually looked sheepish.

"Sorry! It's just I've never seen anything like this before, not even during our time in the Rebellion and I'm not cut out to play animal control."

"How far did the bothan live from Synthnee?" Luke asked patiently.

"Few blocks."

"Okay, that's the plan. Ask the medical examiner if he could guess the specie of the animal. If not, ask an expert. Maybe you should check the list of imported animals and Han can ask around too. There are still smugglers out there.”

Rys cupped his hands around his drink with a thoughtful expression. "But it is strange that the first victim is connected to the explosion, isn't it?"

"I know." Luke smiled reassuringly at Rys then pulled out his wallet. "We had enough drinks for tonight!"

He ignored Rys' pout and pulled out his credit card. He touched it against the ordering panels scanner and it took the right amount of money off it.

"See you soon, Rys!" he said and rose slowly. Despite his best effort to be extra careful, he had to fight hard against the dizzy spell to keep it from showing. He nodded at the detective again and left.

Outside he staggered against the wall. He cursed softly and tried to catch his breath. He jumped a little when Artoo bumped against his leg. The little droid was so quiet during his meeting with Rys that he totally forgot that he was there.

"I'm fine Artoo!" he patted the droids dome. "Let's go home!"

His walk home was nightmarish. He chanted 'one step, other step' in his mind willing his body to cooperate. The mere thought of using the Force caused a sharp pain in his abdomen, so he was truly alone in his suffering. Somehow he reached the building and even got into a lift. Artoo set the lift into motion with a worried bleep. Luke counted the floors as they passed them and finally they reached theirs. He stepped outside and spotted Han, Lando and Chewie sitting in the hall. Maybe he should ask for help after all.

"Luke?" Han sounded really worried. Chewie was already moving towards him.

Everything went black.

***

Han cursed loudly and shot to his feet when Luke collapsed in front of them. Chewie reached him first and turned him onto his back. The younger man was ghostly pale and his pulse was fast when Han touched his neck.

"We have to take him to the med-center!" Lando spoke urgently.

"Faster if I drive!" Han nodded. Chewie pulled Luke against his chest and lifted him up into his arms. The worst part for Han was the lift ride. It was so damn slow! They rushed outside and Han started the speeder while Lando and Chewie arranged Luke's unconscious form into the vehicle. Lando barely closed the passenger door and the speeder shot out into the nocturnal traffic. Han zigzagged between other speeders and pulled some incredible stunts, but they reached the med-center in 10 minutes. Lando ran ahead shouting for a doctor while Han helped Chewie with Luke. When the Wookiee carried the young man inside, there was a med-droid and a hover-stretcher waiting for them. Chewie placed Luke onto the stretcher carefully and the droid rushed away with the unconscious Jedi.

Han took a shaky breath. "What do we do know?"

"You should call Leia," Lando said and put a reassuring hand onto his friend's shoulder.

Han cursed again and reached for his commlink. "She will be so angry!"

Twenty minutes later Leia stormed into the med-center with eyes blazing. "What happened!" she demanded when she spotted them in the waiting-room.

Han met her halfway and pulled her into a tight hug. "He collapsed and that's all we know."

"We knew that he isn't well, but we did nothing! We know that he doesn't take care of himself and what we do? Push him into a damn investigation!" she ranted. “I had these strange feelings today, but I didn’t do anything. I should have commed him…”

Han rubbed small circles on her back and tried to shush her as he would do with his son. Miraculously it worked on his wife too.

"It's so much like Endor! I don't like it!" she mumbled into his shoulder.

Han didn't want to think about Endor, so he tried optimism. "He will be alright. The Force loves him."

It better does!

They waited two hours without any news. Leia terrorized the droid at the reception, pulled rank and threatened the poor thing, but it couldn't give her any information. Han actually had to drag her away from it before she did any physical damage on it. Finally, after two torturous hours a middle aged human woman approached them in white lab coat. She took in their worn faces then turned her sharp gaze on Leia.

"Your Highness, you are the closest relative to Luke Skywalker, am I right?"

"I am his twin! Of course I am!" Leia hissed. The doctor ignored her angry tone.

"My name is Norella Paklar. I am your brother's doctor. If you could follow me into my office that would be the most convenient. I don't like discussing such an important patient's condition like your brother in front of so many people. "

Leia nodded and grabbed Han's hand silently asking for support. Lando and Chewie stayed in the waiting room, while the two of them followed Paklar through the corridor. Paklar opened her office's door for them and motioned at the two chairs in front of her desk, while she sat behind it.

"I will be straightforward," Norella started. "I don't know what caused your brother's illness. We stabilized him, but he has still hypothermia, he is hypoglycemic, his blood pressure is low. He regained consciousness and he was aware of his surroundings, but still exhausted, falls asleep easily. According to him he didn't do anything physically straining. Can you confirm that?"

"He got home just few days ago. After that, I can confirm, but I don't know what he did before." Leia answered hesitantly. Norella nodded and typed few things into her computer.

"We'll start a thorough examination tomorrow. We have sent blood samples out, but until we can't confirm that it's not something contagious, we can't allow visitors." the doctor stated sternly.

Leia straightened her back in her anger and glared at the other woman. "I can't see him?"

Norella sighed and shut down her computer before answering. "I can allow you to see him, but only through an observation window. Please follow me!"

The doctor led them through another corridor. They passed several private rooms before Norella stopped in front of one. "Please don't stay long." and with that she left.

Han and Leia stepped closer to the window in unison. Inside the room a lone bed was placed into the middle and Luke lay motionlessly in it. It was an unnatural sight of him. Luke never slept on his back. He was still very pale and all the whiteness surrounding him didn't help improving his ghostly look.

Leia leaned against the window and murmured something softly. Han added his own soft 'get well, kid!' and stirred his wife away gently.

"We'll be back tomorrow!" he promised.

***

_This dream was different. He wasn't in the cave, but standing in a nicely done apartment, more specifically in the kitchen. There was a female Twi'lek with him. She was sitting at the table with lots of datapads scattered in front of her accompanied by some sort of ale in an elegant glass. Luke watched her face intently. She was so familiar with her purple skin and kind smile she was still wearing while engrossed in her work. He only recognized her when she looked up thoughtfully and reached for her glass. Her beautiful deep blue eyes gave her away._

_Lainris Vasu._

_She was an activist whose main goal was bridging the rift between humans and non-human species that Palpatine created. She was a well known and loved politician who turned most of her income into charities._

_There was a sudden drop in the temperature. Lainris pulled her robe closer to her body and got up with a frown. She walked to the thermostat and adjusted the device. Luke watched her with growing unease. They both spun around when a rattling sound filled the kitchen._

_It came from the air-circling vent._

_Lainris approached it frowning. The vent was above the cooking place at eyelevel. She hummed disapprovingly and leaned closer to the grid that covered it._

_"Back away!" Luke called after her. Of course she didn't hear him._

_However, she did back away when a strange dark substance flew through the grid. It didn't drip down onto the cooking place though, but it stayed levitating in front of the grid and grew bigger and bigger. It started shifting till it took the form of a long clawed, long fingered hand. Lainris gasped loudly and backed away even more. The hand continued in a long arm, then more substance came through and in few seconds the horror of Luke's nightmare stood in the middle of the kitchen. The faceless head turned towards the terrified Twi'lek and Lainris screamed. She spun around and tried to run away. However, a clawed hand grabbed her robe and flung her back. She fell against the table then to the floor along with several dadatapads. The monster rushed after her, but Lainris jumped to the side with another scream. Still long claws slashed through her robe on her back. Dark blood dripped onto the floor. Lainris slipped on it as she tried escaping on her hands and knees. The monster's hand shot out and grabbed one of her lekkus. The monster put another hand onto the top of her head then pulled. Luke heard the horrible sound it made as the lekku fell onto the floor, but all he could see was Lainris' horrified eyes as they widened then all brightness disappeared from them._

_She was still alive when the beast started to rip into her chest and stomach, but her mind wasn’t registering anything anymore._

Luke woke up screaming.

He gasped loudly and the heart monitor was going crazy next to him. It took him several minutes to gain control of his breathing and racing heart but somehow he managed.

Lainris leaved in the same apartment complex as they did.

"Leia!" he mumbled and leaned to the side for the call-button.

He needed his commlink.

Before he pushed the button his gaze fell onto the figure who was standing in front of the door of his room. He froze.

It wasn't a nurse, not even a med-droid.

The monster was in his room watching him without eyes. It slowly rose a hand towards him then the creature disappeared. In the next second the well known R2 unit rushed into the room. The door barely had time to open in front of it.

"Artoo!" it sounded dangerously like a whimper.

Artoo beeped and twittered in worry, but Luke was too agitated to translate.

"I need my commlink!"

A little compartment opened on the astromech's body, there was his commlink. He snatched it away and called his sister desperately.

Tell me there is still time!

"Yes?"

"Han!" Luke cried and knew he sounded near hysteric.

"Kid? Are you alright?" all sleepiness disappeared from the ex-smuggler's voice.

"You need to go to Lainris Vasu. Floor 256. She is in danger! Lethal one!"

"Luke...It' in the middle of the night." Han's voice sounded worried, but he was already moving, Luke heard.

"Please, hurry and call me when you reach her. And take a blaster. And Chewie!"

"I will." Han said and ended the call.

Luke bit down on his lower lip and that was when he noticed that his nose was bleeding again.

***

"I'm coming with you!" Leia said when he ended the call. She was already pulling on her own clothes. Han opened his mouth to protest, but closed it. When had his opinion ever mattered in situations like this? So, he commed Chewie.

"Threepio!" Leia called, when the protocol droid stumbled into their room she continued. "Watch over Ben! We'll back in few minutes."

She pulled her belt out of the wardrobe which contained her blaster and wrapped it around her waist. They met with Chewie outside their apartment and they hurried for the lifts. They only had to descend few floor, so their journey was short. They stepped out of the lift at the same time as security arrived in another lift.

"What happened?" Han asked them.

"We were alerted. Strange noises in one of the apartments." one of the pair answered.

A Twi'lek hurried through the corridor towards them. A young woman dressed in night robes.

"Thanks the Force you are here!" she cried, then her gaze fell upon Leia and she blushed. "Oh, Senator! I didn't know you'd be alerted!"

Leia straightened her back and took control of the situation with a look. "What happened?"

"I heard noises from Miss Vasu's apartment. I--I knocked on her door, but she didn't answer. I--I got worried..." she trailed off and tucked on her robe embarrassed.

They tried ringing her doorbell, then tried to comm her, but there was no answer. They decided it was time to break in. Luckily, security got hold of the spare cardkey before they had come. Han pulled rank and entered the apartment first with Chewie. Living-room clear. Kitchen door... Ripped off lekku. Han cursed in corellian and peeked into the kitchen, then pulled back quickly. One of the security collapsed onto the floor white faced, the other one pulled out his commlink and snapped orders into the line.

"Call Detective Rys Melcon! It's his case." Han muttered. Then he heard the screaming. He spun around and watched as the young Twi'lek sink onto the floor with Leia's arm around her. He didn't want to think about how Luke would react.

Rys arrived with dark circles under his eyes and a very bad case of bed-hair. He greeted Han with a sober look. Han stood next to him as he questioned the young Twi'lek (her name was Leva Kotal, first assistant of Vasu). However, there was not much to note. Half hour before they arrived she heard strange noises from the apartment, but because the soundproofing was quite good in the building, she couldn't identify the noises. A medic came and took the young woman away with a promise of a good sleeping pill.

Leia joined them as they investigated the apartment, but they couldn't find any sign of breaking in.

"According to the medical examiner whatever is this creature, it's at least two standard meters tall, Rys said as he rubbed his tired eyes. "Well, can you call Luke? Maybe he could get a feeling of this place or something."

Han sighed. "Rys... Luke is in hospital."

"What?" the detective’s head shot up, then he frowned. "I knew that something was up. Damn!"

"Maybe I could do it." Han never heard Leia sound so tentative before. But she straightened her posture at Rys questioning gaze. She actually grinned. "I'm his twin sister."

"What?" Rys cried again. Yeah… it wasn’t a very well-known fact.

Leia shrugged. "I've never done something like this before, but Luke tried to explain."

Han nodded at her and pulled Rys back away from the scene, while Leia stepped forward. She closes her eyes and stood there. The two men waited only daring to breath very silently. Then Leia's posture slumped.

"Nothing." She looked so disappointed that Han had to reach for her. She allowed him to squeeze her hand then she pulled away. Han sighed softly. Things were getting really disturbing. 

To Be Continued


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke is forced to stay in the med-center, while Han comes up with a plan and Mara visits Coruscant.

 

The next day didn't get any better. Lainris Vasu's death was the main news, reporters were swarming everywhere. It caused an uproar in the senate too and that meant a very long day of meetings for Leia. Rys seemed to stagger under the pressure, but pushed himself even more into the investigation. Han wanted to talk to Luke, but when he and Lando arrived to the medical-center, they were told that the young Jedi wouldn't be available during that day because he had to undergo lots of examinations.

 

"So, what now?" Lando asked as they walked back to their speeder.

 

"I have a few questions for Rieekan. I couldn't get hold of him yesterday" Han said and started his vehicle.

 

***

It got harder and harder to keep the mask of professionalism on her face as Leia listened to the senate’s argument. After the one-minute silence for Vasu, people started shouting all at once. Fear was palpable in the room, more and more senators announced that they would leave Coruscant with their families first thing after the meeting. Leia could understand that sentiment, because while she didn’t have any intention to leave, Chewie was preparing to travel to Kashyyyk with Ben. She hated not having her son near her, but their home was not safe anymore. 

 

Borsk Fey’lya didn’t hesitate to bring up the Empire and a possible attack on the New Republic. Luke’s illness made matters worse. The Bothan was convinced that the Jedi was the first victim, then Vasu and more will come.  Despite Mon Mothma’s calm reasoning against the theory, there were several politicians who shared Fey’lya’s idea. Leia herself tried to speak up once or twice, but she would have more luck with the walls. She sighed again when a devaronian politician added his opinion to Fey’lya’s speculations loudly and she wished she had listened more to Luke’s teaching of calming technics.

 

***

“Why are you so interested in the explosion, Solo?” Rieekan asked, but he was already searching through the files in the Intel’s system.

 

“Luke,” Han gave him the name as the only answer, because he knew that the older man was one of those few who truly believed in Luke’s capabilities and didn’t hesitate to act on his intuitions.   

 

“I see,” Rieekan smirked. Han waited as patiently as he could for the older man, but he was itching for something he could do. He was tired of sitting around. He parted with Lando an hour ago, because the other man had his own contacts and he was positive he would get something.

 

“This is strange,” Rieekan murmured and showed Han a file on the holo-displayer. “Project Astolas. It’s so confidential that even I don’t have access. However, we have the name of the sponsor. Talvir Zactar.”

 

“He is a corellian politician.” Han frowned. “Thanks a lot, Director!”

 

“Solo! Be careful! The New Republic is fragile, please don’t start a civil war!” Rieekan warned sternly, but all he received was the Captain’s wide grin as an answer.

 

***

 

The sun was setting when Mara arrived to Coruscant. She sat in the Jade’s Fire’s cockpit for few minutes after landing. Karrde will be so angry with her because she ran off without a word. She didn’t know though what she should have said. Skywalker is probably in trouble would have rose so many questions. And comments. Don’t forget the comments.

 

“Well Farmboy, here I come!” She muttered and left her beloved ship. She rented a speeder and sped through the ever busy traffic of Coruscant. She reached the apartment building in record time and extended her senses towards the man who turned her life upside down. She stopped in front of the building. Luke wasn’t there. Or he was blocking his own presence from others again. She stalked up to the receptionist droid and forced a charming smile onto her face.

 

“Hello! I’d like to talk with Luke Skywalker. Can you tell me If he is here?”

 

“Good evening, Ms., Unfortunately Commander Skywalker is not available right now. He was taken to the main medical center because of a sudden illness.”

 

Mara stiffened. Medical-center? Sudden illness? Damn, Skywalker!

 

“Thank you for your help!” She forced out and all but ran back to her speeder. She raced through the heavy traffic and after what seemed like an hour, but in reality was no more than fifteen standard minutes, she arrived to the Medical-center. In side she had to wait in line for the receptionist droid. As it turned out, there was an accident that day, which meant lots of hurt people and even more worried relatives.

 

“Ms? What can I help you with?” the droid’s monotone voice startled her out of her thoughts.

 

“I would like to see Luke Skywalker. My name is Mara Jade. I’m a… friend.” She answered.

 

“Let me check if you are allowed to visit.” She waited impatiently for the droid. “Oh, yes you are allowed. He is in the VIP section.”

 

“Thanks!”

 

She stormed through the huge building ignoring everybody. She tried to calm herself down, but it wasn’t easy. Not when it was all about Luke. Damn him!

 

“Ms?”

 

She spun around and came to face with another droid.

 

“I came to visit Luke Skywalker. My name is Mara Jade. I was said that I’m allowed!”  she said impatiently. What was this with these droids? The droid tapped at a datapad then nodded its mechanical head.

 

"Yes, you are allowed. Please, follow me!”

 

It led her through the private section and finally stopped in front of a door. The observation window was covered with a white curtain. However, she didn’t have to look. She could sense Luke now, and he knew that she was here.

 

“Here we are. Please, don’t take long. He needs his rest. This has been a long day for him.”

 

The droid left and she stepped into the room. Skywalker didn’t look good. Rather, he looked really, really bad. His skin was ghostly white, his blond hair was messy, he had nearly black circles under his eyes. But he was grinning at her with his most innocent farmboyish expression.  Damn, him!

 

“These droids are really fond of you. They guard you well.” She commented and let the door close behind her. She walked to the chair and set down as near him as she could. His face fell at her statement.

 

“Don’t even mention it. I don’t like it. They act like I’m some kind of prince or something.”

 

“Strictly speaking, you are!” Mara grinned. Luke rolled his eyes and leaned back into his pillow. His blue eyes met her green ones.

 

“How come you are here? Not that I’m complaining, but I thought you have lots of work to do now.”

 

She looked away and shrugged. She knew there was no use lying, but she still could try. “I had business here, so I thought I visit you. Though, I would have like to do it in another environment.”

 

Luke raised an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything about her white lie.

 

“So, what is this?” she pressed.

 

This time it was his turn to look away. “It’s not that bad. Just a bug.”

 

“I thought big bad Jedis are immune to these kind of bugs.”

 

“I am not immune! I just deal with them better.” he huffed and crossed his arms in front of himself. “I’ll deal with this too.”

 

He actually looked like a petulant child in her eyes at that moment and the thought nearly made her smile. However, the situation was more serious than that.

 

“Don’t lie to me about this!” she said sternly. “What is this?”

 

Luke rubbed his eyes with his left hand. Mara knew he was choosing his words carefully, but she decided to allow it. Better than saying nothing at all.

 

“You remember my dream that I told you about?” he spoke finally.

 

Mara nodded. “The probably not vision.”

 

He gave her a half grin. “Maybe it was a vision.”

 

“Tell me!” She ordered and he did. He spoke about nightmares, an explosion, strange scientists, dead humans and non-humans and a sickness which started after the first nightmare. It was a lot to take in and Mara didn’t like it at all where it was going.

 

“You think all of this are connected?” she asked when he stopped and didn’t seem to want to talk again.

 

“Yes. I don’t have evidence though. But somehow I know all of these are connected.” He looked at her, but she didn’t know what his gaze asked her.

 

“And the sickness? How comes it into the picture?” She asked in the end.

 

He looked down and his fingers played with the blanket.

 

“That, I don’t know.” he huffed after a few minutes. It was frustrating him and she could understand him well. She hated to be vulnerable too. She leaned forward and grabbed his hand squeezing it gently.

 

“Hey, listen! I’ll ask around too.”

 

His face brightened and his gaze shone proudly. “Really?”

 

“Yes, with one condition!” She smirked at his semi well-hidden panic. She loved these reactions of his.

 

“Which is?” he asked carefully.

 

She waited few seconds and when he looked panicky enough she said, “You have to get better!”

 

Luke laughed out loudly with closed eyes. He looked way too handsome that way. “That I can promise!” he grinned.

 

Mara nodded with her own brightened expression. “Than it’s a deal!”

 

“Now, though, I have to go, before your guards kick me out.” She said and she rose to her feet. She wanted to lean forward and kiss him, but it was not the good place to do that. However, she allowed herself to mess up his hair even more with her hand.

 

“Take care, okay?” she murmured.

 

His intense eyes locked onto hers. “You too and may the Force be with you” his voice was soft and serious.

 

“And with you too!” she replied with a gentle smile.

 

It was hard walking away.

 

She sighed and allowed her shoulders to slump when the door closed behind her. Damn, Farmboy! She better consults with Karrde, it seemed she would be away from the business for a prolonged vacation. She took a deep breath and straightened her posture. Ready, go!

 

She barely stepped around the corner when…

 

“What are you doing here?”   

 

She blinked at the woman in front of her. Oh, damn! It was Leia Organa herself, blazing eyes, clenched teeth and all. Her dislike for Mara was well-known, not that Jade had any right to get offended by that. She did threaten Luke’s life after all.

 

"So?” Leia hissed.

 

Mara put a smirk on her face. “Had business here. Thought, I visit the Big Bad Jedi.”

 

"Leave him alone!”

 

Mara raised her hands in mock surrender. Though internally she was really annoyed. Luke and her had been playing this game for nearly a year now. They had started it, because they knew that their history would make them a strange pair and not many people would approve. It was better to avoid trouble. Originally it had been her idea, but Luke had gone along too. They argued in front of other people, then met up in secret to be themselves with each other. It worked. Most people had no idea what they were really doing. However, at times like that, their little act made everything more complicated. Let’s just take Leia, the overprotective twin sister for an example.

 

****“I’m outta here!” Mara said in the end and stalked past the fuming politician. She had to reconsider this arrangement.

 

***

“Mara Jade is back!” Leia said as soon as he stepped into their apartment. Han took a step backwards in surprise. So, angry wife in front of the door, oh, and Mara is back.

 

"And?” he asked slowly and inched into the apartment.

 

****“And???” Leia nearly shouted. “And? Do I have to remind you what that… woman wanted to do?”

 

“Darling,” Han tried placating and gently steered his wife further into their home. “She promised not to kill him, remember?”

 

“And that’s it? Everything is forgiven?”

 

Okay, he needed a new approach. He loved how beautiful Leia looked when she was angry, but they had more important problems to solve. Like a very suspicious corellian politician.

 

“Where did you see her?”

 

“She visited Luke! And Luke? He didn’t find it strange or anything at all. According to him it was just an attempt of her to be friendly!” Leia ranted. Han had to hide his smirk. He was pretty sure just what kind of peace offering that visit had been. Those two were good, but not that good.

 

“See? She didn’t kill him!”

 

"HAN!”

 

“Okay, listen! I’ve found something.” his tactic worked this time. Leia’s temper vanished and her professional side snapped to attention.

 

"What did you find?”

 

“Talvir Zactar was funding project Astolas. According to my contacts he had been a very active politician during the time of the Empire and…”

 

“He is now too.” Leia nodded. She turned away from him and started pacing up and down on their nicely colored carpet. “He is well-respected among his people. He is strong willed and care greatly for Corellia. He doesn’t even hide the fact that his main goal is strengthening their… I’m sorry… Your planet again.”

 

Han waved away her apology. He spent so much time away from Corellia that he hadn’t considered it home anymore. His home was with his family now.

 

“Do you think he is planning something not very nice to reach his goal?”

 

Leia shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. He is not an easy man in the senate, but he looked honestly shocked by Lainris Vasu’s death today. Though we don’t even know if those things are even connected. Luke thinks they are.”

 

Han nodded with a grimace. He sat down onto the couch and scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Him, Detective Melcon and me too. We just can’t ask proper questions without evidence.”

 

“But where do we get them?” Leia asked as she sat down next to him snuggling close.

 

A sardonic grin appeared on Han’s face which made her groan exasperatedly.

 

“I have an idea, but the ninety-nine percentage of the population wouldn’t like it. I’m meeting Lando in an hour, I’m pretty sure I can bully him into it.”

 

***

 

They met in Lake Witch, which was pub where the higher-ups did not go. Like ever. It brought up memories of Han’s time as a smuggler. He liked visiting these places once in a while and the fact that Lando didn’t really like them anymore made it even more entertaining.

 

“There are so many nice places on this planet. So many nice places.” Calrissian muttered when Han sat down in front of him in one of the booths. 

 

“Nice places have curious ears. Now, what did your contacts say?”

 

Lando huffed with annoyance, but went along with the change of subject. “Not much. They confirmed that Zactar visited the research facility several times during the last three standard months and he made sure that the press didn’t know about it. Moreover, the person who took over the investigation had ties with him. His name is Bane Virin, corellian. However, they didn’t know more than that. We need another source.”

 

Han grinned and leaned forward. Time for his plan. “I know exactly where we can find more information.”

 

Lando’s eyes widened, but his surprise quickly turned into suspicion. “What exactly are you thinking?”

 

“We gonna break into the restricted part of the research facility!”

 

Suspicion turned into shock in a blink of an eye. “Are out of your mind, Solo? What the sith are you thinking?”

 

“I am thinking that we need evidence or even just something to work with. Where is the best place to get it? Where all of this started! People are dying and even Luke says these are all connected, but he can’t help right now, it’s up to us!” Despite Han’s reasoning, Lando was still shaking his head, when he finished.

 

“We can’t just break into a research facility. Doing things like these during the rebellion was one thing, doing it know is downright insane. This is our system. You are an iconic part of the New Republic. We can’t do it!”

 

“It can be done, we just have to be careful.” a firm female voice cut through the tension which built between them. They both spun around towards her with wide eyes. Mara smirked at their deer-caught-in-the-headlight expressions and took a seat next to Lando in the booth.

 

“Ms. Jade! what a pleasant surprise!” Mara ignored Lando’s forced charm and leveled her eyes at the former smuggler in front of her.

 

“Tell me about your plan!”

 

Han’s game face was firmly in place by that time and his smirk matched hers. “Why should I tell you?”

 

“Because I am very good at this short of things. Way better than you two,” she ignored the twin snorts “And if you don’t tell me, someone may just give an anonymous tip to Security. Your decision.”

 

Han leaned back in his seat and regarded the woman in front of him with narrowed eyes. “Why do you want to help? What do you gain from this?”

 

Mara looked away for a second, but it was all the answer Han needed. He didn’t even listen to her reply. “It’s my business, but I can assure you it doesn’t threaten the New Republic or anyone.”

 

Han stayed quiet for few more seconds, just to make her uncomfortable, though his decision had already been made. In the end he nodded slowly.

 

“Okay. You are in. Here is the plan!”

 

***

 

She had stayed in better hotels than this, but she had her reasons when she chose that one. The fact that it was the closest to the main medical-center was one of them. Mara made herself a tea and wandered to the window. The medical-center was in plain sight. The rain started to fall gently an hour ago and by that time it created a surprisingly calm atmosphere. It helped her sink deeply into her thoughts. Karrde took the news of her sudden vacation surprisingly well. On second thought maybe it wasn’t such a big surprise either. Karrde loved information and there was something going on in Coruscant. Plus, he liked Luke too and his sudden illness was one of the new favorite topic of the press next to the death of Lainris Vasu. So, he allowed her to stay here with two conditions. One, she keeps an eye on Skywalker and two, she finds out what’s going on in the Capital. She was happy to do both.

 

However, her relationship with the Solo family was going to be trouble. Solo himself seemed to trust her enough to allow her to tag along next night, but Leia didn’t just not trust her, but downright hated her. This didn’t bother her at all till that moment (actually it was quite entertaining), but dodging around Leia while Luke was sick would just complicate things that shouldn’t be complicated. Though, they wouldn’t have to reveal that they are dating. Friends sounded harmless enough. She nodded to herself. All she needed to do was consult with Luke and it would be set.

 

Tomorrow she would prepare for the next night, but until that she should sleep.

 

***

 

Luke sat upright in his bed and thought about pulling on one of the cables that monitored something on him. It was hilarious how the med-droids had rushed to his room every time he did something like that. He was lucky that they hadn’t been programmed the capability to be annoyed, otherwise he wouldn’t be monitored at all. He knew he wasn’t acting very Jedi like, but he was so bored. Even living on Tatooine had been less boring. Meditating hurt like nothing before and there was nothing else to do, but sleep. Sleep didn’t sound like a good idea either.

 

Sighing, he sank back into his pillow. He knew he should sleep, but he didn’t want to see anymore death or experience that trapped feeling from before again. The worst thing with the nightmares was that he couldn’t end them when they started, so he couldn’t help the victims either. There was another downside too. Every time he had a nightmare, his condition worsened. Since he had watched Vasu die, he had trouble with standing up and walking. Visiting the fresher and getting back to bed drained him so much that he needed to sleep at least for an hour after every little trip. This scared him.

 

He tried to occupy himself by thinking about the day. He smiled when Leia’s angry face came to his mind. How she stormed into his way too white room a minute after Mara’s departure. She had been so adorable as she ranted about how bad Mara was for his health. Though somehow he really should conciliate them. After her temperamental episode Leia shared some interesting news with him. For example, that Mon Mothma and the senate didn’t have anything to do with Project Astolas and how the elder woman asked Leia to keep their investigation in secret. Leia also had shared that Sypet Lakrys and his family asked her to impart their gratitude to him. It somehow calmed him down a bit that the doctor decided to leave Coruscant that day with his family.

 

He didn’t even notice how his eyes closed and he fell asleep.

 

***

 

_The next victim was an Ithorian. Luke watched with a sad knowledge as the other being walked up and down in his house tending his various plants. This dream projected the same coldness as the one about Vasu. He didn’t want to see how it happened, but he felt that he owned this to the other being, so he kept his eyes open and forced them to stay on the scene._

 

_He spotted the monster soon. It was creeping into the living-room slowly from behind two high and wide plants. The Ithorian’s back was turned towards it and he didn’t notice it until the monster’s long clawed fingers circled around his curved neck. His big eyes widened as the claws tore into his skin and a strangled scream left his two mouths. But he fell into silence a second later when his neck was snapped. The Ithorian’s body slumped to the ground and the monster tore into his skin._

_Luke watched horrified the grotesque scene. He felt so helpless that it physically hurt. The monster stopped his movements and turned his faceless head towards him slowly. Luke’s breath caught in his throat and he took a small stepped back. Suddenly the monster lounged at him._

 

_***_

His eyes snapped open wide. He wasn’t alone, there were three med-droids rushing around him. There was bright light and something was beeping madly. He felt like something heavy was placed on his chest and it was really hard to breath. He was actually gasping. He tasted blood. One of the droids placed something on his face. It was a breathing mask. A middle aged woman’s face appeared in front of him. she was saying something…

 

 “Luke? Luke! You have to slow down your breathing. Do you understand? You need to concentrate and slow down your breathing!”

 

He tried to comply, but it didn’t seem to work. Soon he was swallowed by darkness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my best, but the next one will be better! Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Han sets his plan into motion.

It was three in the morning in standard time when Leia walked into the med-center. She avoided the receptionist and med-droids and made her way towards her brother’s room. Han would be so angry with her. She had woken suddenly in the middle of the night and she had known instantly that it was something to do with Luke. Her husband had been sleeping peacefully next to her, so she had dressed quickly and slipped out of their apartment silently.She nearly reached her brother’s room when she ran into no other, but Dr. Norella Paklar. The middle aged woman stepped in front of her with a frown and Leia straightened her posture, ready to fight.

“Mrs. Solo, what are you doing here?”

“Is Luke alright?” Leia asked back. The doctor’s frown deepened, then motioned for her to follow. She led the younger woman into her office again. She offered Leia a seat and she took hers behind her desk.

“The only reason I am not asking questions is that I have lived long enough to know few things about the Force and its users.” she took of her glasses and rubbed her eyes tiredly. “Your brother had an episode this evening. It looked like an asthma attack, but...”

“You don’t think it was one?” Leia had to ask.

Norella snorted. “I am sure it wasn’t. However, I don’t know what it is, I can only guess, but none of my ideas have been right. Whatever is happening, it'S draining your brother’s energy. It had taken half hour for his breathing to stabilize. We gave him a nasal cannula to help his oxygenation. He is sleeping now.” 

Leia looked out of the window. Outside the busy night of Coruscant went on like nothing happened, while her world was threatening to crumble. The destruction of Alderaan flashed through her mind’s eyes. She can’t lose more of her family. She turned her blazing eyes at the doctor. Norella studied her calmly, but she nodded. A promise not spoken out aloud, but promised non the less.

“I will stay with him tonight,” Leia stated and left the office without another word. The doctor didn’t try to stop her.

She already knew by heart where Luke’s room was and she walked in silently. This time her brother was sleeping on his side, mouth slightly apart, blond haired tousled beyond hope of fixing. Leia sat down into the chair next to him. She ran a hand through the dark blond locks, then took her twin's hand into hers.

“You are such a trouble magnet,” she whispered with a fond smile. “What am I going to do with you?”

***

Mara sat in her speeder and stared forward without seeing anything. She had arrived at the same time as Leia, but had decided to stay back and avoid confrontation. It had been hard though. She had been listening into Leia’s and Paklar’s conversation from the other side of the door.

Luke was getting worse and no one knew why.

She cursed loudly and hit the controls with her fist. She needed a solution and she needed it ASAP!

***

Stupid Skywalker genes! Han had been fuming non-stop since he had woken up in a cold and empty bed. He was pretty sure he just had a heart-attack. He had searched through the house madly, but his wife was nowhere to be found. Luckily, he had found Leia’s holo-message, before a full blown panic-attack could hit.

_I’m going to the med-center, there are leftovers in the fridge._

She had recorded it in the living-room. At least she looked fine on the projection. Sighing he wandered into their kitchen. He made himself a huge amount of caf and while the machine worked, he commed the med-center. They told him about Luke’s attack last night and confirmed that his wife was still there. He cursed when he ended the call. Luke’s worsening health made his stomach churn madly and the other memories it awakened made matters worse. Hoth and Endor. He shook his head. He had to concentrate on his plan and then maybe he would have a solution. 

He drank his caf black.     

***

Waking up for Luke felt horrible. It felt like someone switched his brain for a sponge, his insides were churning uncomfortably and every muscle in his body ached dully. He sighed miserably. He was rarely sick, usually he just got injured, but at least a bacta tank can solve those. Bacta just made this worse according to Dr. Paklar…

The second thing he noted after his miserable state, was that he wasn’t alone in his bed. He blinked his eyes open and nearly laughed out loud when he saw who it was. Sometime during the night Leia had crawled into his bed and had sprawled out on top of him. Fortunately, his right hand wasn’t trapped under his twin. He gently poked his sister’s nose and chuckled at her sleepy grimace. She blinked at him with huge, tired eyes, then she shot up in a second.

“I’m so sorry, Luke! I fell asleep. Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” She mumbled and fumbled with his blanket.

She was adorable.

“Leia! I’m fine!”

That got her attention. The corner of her lips turned downwards, the intensity of her gaze doubled, her posture straightened. Typical Leia attitude before a rant.

“Fine? You are not fine!” She snapped. “I just had a horrible night and it’s your fault! You should start sharing your problems, not lying that you are fine!”

The mention of the night darkened Luke’s mood too. The scene of the Ithorian’s death flashed through his mind again.

“I had another vision. Before my episode last night.” he admitted. Leia’s face paled, her eyes widening a little. “You should call, Detective Melcon.” he added.

She nodded and looked down. She took his left hand into hers and rubbed his fingers in silence. He felt her reaching through their connection gently trying to comfort him. However, he had to block her out. He squeezed her hand when the hurt appeared on her pretty face.

“Using the Force make this worse.” he explained softly.

“What?” she asked shock evident in her voice.

He shrugged helplessly. “I don’t understand either.”

They fell into silence again. After several minutes Leia squeezed his hand and stood.

“I’ll comm Detective Melcon. Take care, Okay?”

“You too!” he nodded back at her.

***

They spent the day in preparation for the night. Each of them had their own task and their scheduled meeting was at midnight. The building next to the research center had been partly damaged in the explosion. They had chosen it as their rendezvous point. Han arrived three minutes before midnight. He took public transport on his way there, because he didn’t want to risk anyone recognizing him. He chose his clothing carefully too. He wore all black and as a plus he stole a hooded jacket from Luke’s closet. Fortunately, the Jedi owned some bigger clothes too.

He didn’t know what this building originally was, but it looked stabled enough for their meeting. He ducked under the ‘keep out’ sign and entered through a narrow doorway. There were boxes all around him. A storage, maybe? He shifted his backpack and placed his right hand onto his blaster. He made his way cautiously further in.

“Han!”  He nearly shot whit his blaster, but he managed to stop himself in the last second. The whisper was familiar, just like the dark cloak that appeared in front of him.

“Lando,” he breathed with a nod. He put his blaster away.

“She is here,” Lando whispered and lead the way further into the building. They zigzagged around other few huge boxes and ended up in a small room with no windows. Jade was really there dressed in her black jumpsuit and black jacket, while her golden-red hair was arranged into one long braid. The three lighting rods placed around the room gave her complexion a ghostly shadow. She was leaning over the lone table regarding datapads. She looked up when he entered and snorted at the sight.

“You look like a homeless person, Solo!”

Han pulled back his hood and ran a hand through his stubble.

“Good! As long as I don’t look like myself!” he grinned back. Jade shook her head and turned back towards the datapads.

Han dropped his backpack down next to the table and gazed at his companions. “What do we have?”

Lando placed a holoprojector onto the middle of the table and switched it on. “This is the blueprints of the research center.” he explained. “It has a hundred floors. The roof is completely ruined, but they installed a metal ceiling to cover the building. However, according to my source there are holes on the side of the building which they didn’t care to fill up. They are small, but big enough for us to slip through. If we can manage that, we can follow this map to reach our goal which is this large room here.” he pointed at it on the flickering image. Han nodded thoughtfully.

“There are three drones circling around these floors,” Mara took over. She tapped at the projector and the mentioned drones appeared around the blueprints. “According my calculations, this hole would be the best for us to slip through. The trick is not this part, we will have five minutes for that which is more than enough. The problem the guard droid on the roof. It has a rotating camera. It takes thirty seconds for it to rotate around and this type has a very sensitive scanner. We have to turn it off. But we have a little luck here, it can’t look upwards.”

Han ran a hand through his hair and glared at the blueprints. “This complicates things.”

“Not as much as you think.” Mara commented. She picked up her own bag and pulled out a tiny device from it. “With this we can turn it off for a minute. If we do it well enough we can get one minute and a half for entering. This will fell off the droid when it inactivates and with a magnet we can get it before the reinforcement arrives.”

“Which means some has to stay outside.” Lando commented frowning.

“Someone with good piloting skills.” Han nodded. “It will be you, Lando.”

“What?”

“We have to get onto the roof and unless one of you learnt to teleport, we have to use a speeder for it. No teleporting skills? Okay, so speeder. Problem with the whole fiasco is that we have to get out of there somehow too. I don’t think I have to explain why we need a good pilot for that.”

“I promise, I won’t murder Solo in there!” Mara smirked at the dark skinned man.

Han and Lando argued for another few minutes, but in the end they managed to agree. After that they specified every part of their plan and Mara insisted to outline a B version.

At one o’clock the three of them left the building and Jade showed them the speeder that she rented for that night. It was all black and well maneuverable. Lando circled around the block till he got full control of the vehicle then he turned it towards the research center. He approached the building from above. Jade held a magnet gun in her hand. It looked like a crossbow, only it didn’t have arrows, but a strong and potent magnet which held her device. When Lando got them as close as he could without exposure, she pulled the trigger, the pole of the magnet turned and shot the device at the security droid. Her aim was perfect and hit it on the top of the camera. The droid froze in its circling. Lando angled the speeder closer to the roof. Han and Mara jumped out of the vehicle, affixed two hooks to the roof and started their descends on two ropes secured to the hooks. Lando started pulling the speeder up again, but kept the magnet gun pointed at the tiny device on the droid. The second it deactivated and started to fall, he pulled the trigger, the poles turned again and device flew at him. He was out of sight when the droid turned towards where he had been. Not just him, but the hooks were gone too. 

Mara and Han was lucky. Their calculations were perfect, no wind or anything unexpected disturbed their way down towards the hole. They slipped through the gap, deactivated the hooks with remotes and when they fell they pulled up them with the ropes and wrapped them up quickly. When their equipment was put away tidily, they inched deeper into the building. The gap led into a dark, empty room. Mara pulled out her scanner and swept the room with it.

"No cameras.” She whispered. Han nodded and took out the datapad that contained the blueprints. They rechecked their situation then pocketed their things. Han approached the door. Not surprisingly it was locked. He checked the control-panel, then pulled out his tools and in few minutes skillfully reprogrammed it. He pulled a smuggler-cardkey through the device and the door whooshed open.

“Not bad, Solo!” Jade whispered to him. She scanned the corridor too, but didn’t find working cameras. Han put on a nightvision-enchanter binocular, while Mara used the technic that Luke taught her. They made their way through the dark corridor. 

“Do you smell that?” Han asked. Jade sniffed the air and grimaced.

“Ozone?”

“Maybe…”

Another corridor, another scan, still no cameras. However, they found something stranger. There was a strange mucous substance here and there on the walls and on the floor. Han crouched down next to a puddle and took a sample with a tool. They continued their walk further in and as they got nearer to the scene, they found more and more of the strange substance. The air grew thicker, they could barely breath after a while. Mara wrapped a scarf around her face, while Han covered his with his sleeve.

“How far?” Jade wheezed out.

“Two more turns.” Han grunted.  

They both froze in their tracks when they heard a loud dripping sound. Jade looked at her scanner.

“Living organism in front of us.” She mouthed. Han nodded and pulled out his blaster. She copied his movements and bit down on her lip. She had a very bad feeling about this. They inched towards the turn of the corridor. They were no more than two standard meters away from it, when something appeared on the wall at the corner. Han took a sharp breath. It was a hand with long fingers and sharp horrific claws.

“Sith!” Jade cursed loudly. They heard a squealing sound and the monster of Luke’s nightmare stepped in front of them. Han didn’t hesitate and fired at the monster. He got it at his shoulder, but didn’t do serious damage. The monster squealed again and lunged at them. Mara fired at it too without any success.

“Run!” She shouted, though both of them were already backing away rapidly. They broke into a dead run.

“Lando!” Han shouted into his commlink “Get ready with the speeder! NOW!”

“But the drone—“

“NOW!”

They ran into the room they arrived into. However, they didn’t have time to shut the door, because the monster was already rushing in after them with a terrifying roar.

“Jump!” Han shouted and spun around firing at the thing. Mara didn’t hesitate and jumped out of the hole into the speeder that just arrived. Han followed her immediately.

“Go! Go! Go!” he shouted and Lando sped off into the night.

A loud roar filled the air behind them.

“What the Sith was that?” Lando hissed through greeted teeth.

“I don’t have a kriffing idea.” Han panted.

***

Leia decided that she would spend the night with her twin in the hospital, because she was worried about Luke and Han was out on that mission of his. She had bullied everyone who wanted to protest into agreeing one way or another. Dr. Paklar had been the hardest, but she had managed to convince her with a rant about the Force and twins. No one needed to know that she had made up like ninety-eight percentage of that speech. The med-droids moved another bed into the room on which she sat while her brother was still in his regarding her very suspiciously. She blinked at him innocently.

“What?”

“I don’t know, yet,” Luke narrowed his eyes, “But I gonna find out!”

Oh, the thing was that Luke didn’t know what Han was doing. He would have given her a hell of a rant if he did. It was funny really. Luke went against every plan that endangered her or Han, while he himself did dangerous things like these all the time. Hypocrite!

“So,” he drawled out. “Where exactly is Han?”

“With Lando!” she answered with a smirk. He rolled his eyes dramatically.

“And where is Lando?”

“With Han.”

“Poodoo!” he hissed and ran a hand through his hair. Leia grinned at her brother. He was adorable when he swore in Huttese.

“It’s okay, Luke! Even Vader couldn’t get any information out of me!” she smiled.

Luke’s face darkened and she winced inwardly. Here comes the overprotective brother. “It’s not funny, Leia! I’m not interrogating you! I would never let anyone interrogate you again!”

She slipped off her bed and sat on his. She looked into his intense blue eyes and tried to project as much warm to him as much she could without initiating using their bond. “I’m sorry! I won’t joke about it again. Don’t worry. Han will be fine.”

He took a breath ready to say something, but it turned into a gasp. His hand shot to his right shoulder and he doubled over. Leia steadied him and tried to guide him back to the pillows, but he remained leaned forward. He was panting with what seemed like to be pain.

“Luke? What happened?” she asked worriedly.

“I don’t know.” Luke hissed through greeted teeth. “It’s like a blast shot. Hurts like one.”

He gasped again and his hand slipped onto the middle of his chest. Then he whimpered and his other hand shot to his head. His face lost any color it had before. The dark drips of blood that started to fall from his nose were sharp contrast against his skin.

“Luke?” She nearly shouted. Her fingers hit the call button.

Luke curled up even more and continued to gasp in pain. Then suddenly, just as the med-droid rushed into the room, it was over. The Jedi fell back against his pillow, his skin nearly grey under the blood.

“It’s okay! It’s over!” he panted and held up a hand to stop the med-droid that looked more than eager to inject something into his iv line.

“I notify your doctor.” it said in its mechanical voice instead and levitated out of the room.

Leia grabbed a white cloth from the table and gently wiped his face clean. “What was that?” she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

Luke closed his eyes with a tired sigh. “I don’t know. It felt like blaster shots all over my body. Highest setting.” he grimaced.

They couldn’t talk anymore, because Norella strode into the room and Leia was ushered outside.

To Be Continued!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter :) Hope you liked this one!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation -- either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.”   
> ― Martin Luther King Jr.

Han had commed her and she had been happy to hear that he was okay. He had promised to tell her everything that had happened at home. Though she had refused to leave the hospital till morning. After doctor Paklar’s test Luke had been exhausted. He had stayed awake long enough for her to be allowed back to his room, he had smiled up at her, then he had fallen asleep. She hadn’t slept that night. She had sat on her bed and watched over brother. She had imagined what it would have been like to grow up together. Her fantasies had saddened her greatly and it had made the situation even more unbearable. She had kissed her brother on his forehead when the first sunbeams had made their ways into the room and had left the med-center.

She took a cab home, though she made it stop at a bakery. At their building she threw a longing glance at the stairs. It would have felt good to do some exercise, but she was no fool, she knew she couldn’t do it. Luke had done it once they moved in. He had run all the way up to their floor (290), they hadn’t seen him so alive since Hoth till that moment.

She took the lift.

She found her husband asleep on their couch in the living-room. There were datapads threw around on the floor and the caf-table and he was snoring softly in the middle of it all. He must have sensed her presence, smuggler instincts don’t die out so easily, because he shot upright with wide eyes.

“I’m awake!”  he declared.

“I can see that!” she commented with a smirk. Han rubbed his eyes then sniffed the air. His expression turned into something like what a little puppy would have as he gazed at her bag. She motioned at the dining-table and he followed her eagerly. He told her everything that happened while they ate. She was really proud of herself. She managed not to go ballistic till the end of his story.

Then she did.

“You took Mara Jade with you???” she nearly screamed. “Are you chewing the luna-weed?”

Little muscles moved on their own-accord on Han’s face as he regarded her. “Look, Darling! You know that Karrde and Jade helped the New Republic out when we needed them. They even saved Ben! They are friends now and Jade was a great help last night.”

“She wants to kill Luke!” She hissed.

“Holy mother of meteors! Wanted! Luke trusts her now. He thinks she is good.”

“He thought that Darth Vader was good too. He thinks everybody is good!”

Han took a deep breath as he visibly tried to reign in his temper. “And Vader saved his life, remember? People change!”

“Not that much!” she tried to say it with finality, but her husband had none of it.

“Didn’t you hear me? Vader saved him. I changed too! Just like Lando or Karrde. You Skywalkers have this strange effect on people. And Luke worked his magic on Mara too. It’s time for you to accept that.” Han was dead serious.

“Luke doesn’t like her by the way, he maximum tolerates her. They always argue!” Leia stated as her last resort.

Han raised an eyebrow at her. “Leia… Really?”  

“I can’t accept Vader and I won’t accept Jade!” Leia hissed. “One tiny wrong move from her and I make her life a living hell!”

Han threw his hands up in impotent anger, bur accepted her finality this time. She took a calming breath.

“We have to arrange the evidence you got so we can give it to Detective Melcon. Give me that datapad!”

***

Mara sent an encrypted message to Karrde about the event of the night. After a short powernap, a long shower and a brief breakfast, she made her way to the med-center. She met Luke’s medical-droid in the corridor. It let out a sound which strangely resembled disapproving sigh then it levitated away when she smirked at it. She stepped into the room and smiled at the sleeping Jedi. Luke, on his side adorably cuddling his pillow.

Artoo who was guarding the room from his place at the window beeped softly at her as a greeting.

“Tell me you have a recording!” she mouthed back and pointed at Luke.

Artoo beeped mischievously. She nodded her approval. There was another bed placed into the room and she didn’t have to guess why. Leia’s presence was still lingering in the air. She sat down on it and took a drawing-pad out of her bag. She continued her work on it as she waited for the sick Jedi to wake up.

It took him an hour, but finally Luke blinked his eyes open and let out a soft sound. He detected her immediately and frowned sleepily.

“Not Leia…”

“Thanks the Force for that!” Mara said dryly.

Luke rubbed his eyes and set up slowly. He sighed loudly, gazed at the door of the fresher, then sighed again.

“Problem?” she asked when he repeated the cycle two more times.

He jumped a little, then turned towards her with wide eyes, then recognition swept through his blue eyes. He nodded once, then shook his head negative.

“No problem.” he mumbled.

Luke was not a morning-person.

He kicked of his blanket and staggered to his feet. He looked quite fragile in his loose gray hospital trousers and t-shirt. He swayed a little, but waved her off when she moved to help.

“No problem.” he repeated, then after one hesitant step, he managed to walk to the fresher without falling over. The minute the door whooshed close behind him, she stood and placed herself ready next to the door. It took him fifteen standard minutes to reappear, but just before she broke in, he stumbled out. She wrapped an arm firmly around his waist the second she could and snorted when he flinched visibly.

“Aren’t you a little too jumpy this morning, Oh Great Master of the Jedi?” she asked. He mumbled something undistinctive under his nose as she guided him into his bed. She found the nasal cannula he disregarded during the night. It was still on, so she placed it back onto his face and received an annoyed huff in return.

“So how are you today?” she asked as she sat down on the other bed. She regarded his annoyed face as he glared at the scans and other equipment that monitored his health. “Other than grumpy?”

She received a glare, but it disappeared as he sighed again. “I don’t like this place. I could lie around at home too.”

“There are doctors here too.” she replied. He visible ignored her comment and continued his glaring.

“Okay,” she tried again. “I have a fancy story for you. Do you wanna hear it?”

He narrowed his eyes at her and nodded slowly. She told him what happened during the night at the research facility. She watched how his eyes got wider and lighter colored as she told her story, clear signs of his rising temper.

“….Then we hid the speeder and went home. The end!” She finished with a bright grin.

There was a minute silence, then…

“Slatt! Are you all nuts? What if that drone recorded you?”

“I’ve told you. Calrissian shot it down.”

“Or the Security droid? Or---“

“Luke enough!” She snapped. “Don’t tell me you wouldn’t already have done something like that if you could!”

“It’s different!” he snapped back.

“How? Because you are a Big Bad Scary Jedi? I think we should have a talk about your damn hero complex!” She hissed.

He raised his hands placatingly, he looked really tired. “ I’m just worried. You all take unnecessary risks.”

“Not unnecessary.” she replied. She turned her drawing-pad towards him. “Does it look familiar?”

Luke’s face froze when his gaze fell upon the sketched creature. “Very” he mumbled.

Mara turned it back towards her and saved the image. “So it is really connected to the explosion.”

Luke nodded with a disturbed look on his face. Though, he couldn’t say anything, because the door to his room whooshed open and a man stormed in followed by the levitating med-droid.

“Sir! You have to request a permission before visiting!” the droid tried arguing.

“Jedi Skywalker!” the man cried and moved towards the bed. However, Mara was there to stop him. She stood between Luke and the man, who looked absolutely gray in every aspect possible. His eyes were wide and wild as his gaze flickered between her and Luke.

“Professor Zonlain?” Luke asked. He waved the med-droid away which levitated away reluctantly.

After hearing the name Mara recognized the man, of whom she had read in the not so helpful reports. However, this man in front of her didn’t resemble the image she created in her head of him. Zonlain’s clothes were creased, his hair messy, his face pale with dark circles under his eyes. He had a datapad in his hands and he held it out for Luke.

“Jedi Skywalker! Important! Take it! Important!” he babbled.

Luke slowly moved to take it from behind Mara, but she was quicker and grabbed for the databad. As soon as she touched the little device, she felt a tiny sharp pain in one of her fingers.

 “Shavit! It has a crack or something…” she trailed off as the older man pulled the datapad out of her hand.

“Not good! Not good!” Zonlain repeated frantically. He turned on his heels and rushed out of the room.

“What was that?” Luke asked totally dumbfounded. Mara took her slightly bleeding finger into her mouth and considered the options. She had a really bad feeling about this.

“I’m going after him.” she decided.

“Mara…” Luke trailed off. She looked at him meaningfully and he met her gaze with a pained expression. He knew that he couldn’t do anything in his state, but leaving her alone in this went against his very being. He clenched his teeth, but nodded slowly at her. She nodded back with an encouraging smile, then slipped out of the room.

She caught up to Zonlain at the parking lot. She waited till he got into an old speeder, then followed him with her own.

***

Rys stepped into the Solo apartment cautiously when Organa Solo invited him in. He followed her into the living-room, but stopped as soon as his eyes fell upon the mess that the Solos managed to create in there. It looked exactly like what he remembered seeing in the Rebellion’s briefing-rooms. Han stood with a kind of sheepish expression on his face in the middle. Leia offered Rys a seat on the couch and he slowly sank down onto it.

“How…What?” he tried to ask, but his shock prevented him to form any coherent thought.

“We connected the explosion to the creature.” Organa Solo stated.

Rys blinked at her slowly. “How?”

“Han and his comrades broke into the research facility last night.” Leia said like it was the most natural thing ever. Rys could only gap at her. “They encountered the creature there. However, before that happened, they managed to get a sample of an unknown substance. You need to have it analyzed.”

Han handed him a vial in which he could see something grayish-green-blue gelatinous something. Rys ran a hand through his red hair and huffed exasperatedly.

“You do know that I am an Officer, right?” He asked. He waved at the mess in the living-room. “All of this is illegally acquired.”

Leia dismissed his reasoning with a half-grin. “Han works for Intel. I’m sure we can arrange something. Moreover, Mon Mothma personally asked me to find out what’s going on. Discreetly, of course.”

“We need to build a case against Talvir Zactar.” Han interjected.

Rys’ mouth fell open again. He had given up voicing his shock though.

“Talvir Zactar funded Project Astolas.” Leia explained. “Whatever went down there, he would know. Moreover, the man who took over your investigation has ties to him too. Zactar left Coruscant yesterday. We have to make our move while he is away.”

“But Bane Virin is still a problem.” Rys cut in. “He still oversees everything that has connections to the explosion and if he wants to he can sabotage it.”

“In that case,” Han leaned close to the detective and motioned at the vial in his hand. “You have to make sure he doesn’t find out about this!”

Rys pursed his lips. His life just got even more complicated. He desperately wished for a drink.

***

Mara followed Zonlain through Coruscant’s streets. She frowned when the professor parked his speeder in front of the storage building in which they held their little meeting before their adventure in the research facility. She flew past the building and parked her speeder down once she rounded the corner. She hurried back to the building and carefully ducked under the keep out sign.

Zonlain was hurrying trough the dark building between the boxes till he reached one of the huge containers at the back. He typed a code into a datapad that hanged on the side of the container and its side opened. Mara cursed inwardly. She previously checked this whole building out what she thought was a simple container turned out to be the opening of a secret basement. She couldn’t afford to be so unprofessional.

She waited several minutes after Zonlain disappeared inside and the container closed again. Then, she slipped closer and typed the codes in which she learnt from Zonlain while she watched with her enchanted sight. The container opened up again soundlessly and she hurried inside. There were no lights in there which was fine by Mara. She used the Force to switch for night-vision just like last night. She stood on the top of a staircase. She made her way down soundlessly. The stairs ended in a corridor which she followed cautiously. She reached out through the Force till she detected Zonlain.

He was not far.

Only three rooms opened from the corridor and Zonlain was in one of them. Mara reached out with the Force, but she couldn’t sense another living being. So, she flattened herself against the wall in the shadows and focused on the scientist.

Zonlain stood in the middle of the room and stared at the datapad that he tried to give to Luke. Suddenly, he threw it against the wall and it fell to the floor, its screen clearly broken. The man grabbed his hair and tugged at it.

“Not good. Not good. Not good!” he mumbled. “Stupid. Stupid schutta!”

Mara grimaced. Her repute was fine, thank you. She didn’t need to be insulted in Twi’lek.

Zonlain started pacing up and down, his hands still in his hair.

“I need his blood. His blood! The blood of the Force! Not the stupid woman! Stupid! Stupid!”

Thanks the Force that only very few people knew about her Force-sensitivity.

Zonlain stepped to the table that contained several machines and a computer. He typed in something that Mara couldn’t see and the holo-projection of the monster appeared in front of the scientist. Zonlain stared at it with clear admiration and even raised a hand in attempt of patting it.

“My creation. My beautiful creation.”

He sank down onto the floor and started rocking back and forth still mumbling under his nose.

Mara backed away slowly. She had seen enough. Getting out of the secret basement was even easier than getting in. She hurried to her speeder and started it and maneuvered it into the traffic. She reached for her com and called Solo.

"Yes?”

“Jade. I’ve just found out that Zonlain has a secret lab in the storage building. The container with number 347 is the entrance. I’ll send the entrance codes. He is there right now. He calls the thing his creation.” She reported. She heard Solo take a sharp breath, then he cursed softly in corellian.

“Okay, listen. I’ll meet you here in a few.” he started.

“I won’t be there.” She protested. She could actually hear his confusion, so she took pity on him. She was way too wound up too. “I’m going to the med-center. I will be with Luke.” She hesitated a second, but decided she could trust the ex-smuggler. “I have a really bad feeling and I want to be with him just in case.”

"I see. Take care of him, okay?”

She smiled to herself.

“I will.”

She ended the call.

***

Han stared at his commlink for a few seconds after Jade ended her call. Talking about bad feelings. Leia walked into the living-room from the kitchen where she reheated some food for dinner.

“What is it?” she asked sensing his darkening mood.

“One of my contacts just informed me that Zonlain has a secret hideout and we should have a chat with him.” Han told her.

“I’m coming.” She nodded.

“I’d prefer if you don’t.” Han said and leveled a serious gaze at her. She stared back defiantly, then her gaze softened. It was more pleading now than stubborn.

“I have to come. Don’t ask, please.”

Han couldn’t help it, he grimaced. “Don’t tell me that the Force wants you to.”

“What if it does?” She shot back. “I don’t know. I’m not good at this. But something tells me to go with you and I won’t question it. You know I’d just follow you, if you refuse.”

Han regarded her for a few seconds, maybe coming up with new arguments, but he sighed in the end visibly defeated. She stepped forwards and hugged him as hard as her smaller frame allowed. He returned it, happy to waste those minutes.

“Call Melcon.” he told her softly and pulled away. “I’m getting Lando.”

***

The four them met in front of the storage building. Rys reported that they couldn’t find out what the substance was, but they had found traces of it on every body so far. Han shared what he knew about Zonlain, then led them into the storage building. Leia had the scanner this time and when she reported clear, Han typed the codes into the datapad of the container with number 347. It opened silently and they found the dark staircase. Lando activated a lighting-rod and followed Rys with it who made his way forward, blaster held ready. Leia was the next with the scanner and Han covered them from behind.

They didn’t need the scanner to find Zonlain. He was loud on his own. He was throwing things around in one of the rooms and he mumbled constantly for himself.

“Professor Zonlain, freeze!” Rys ordered as he stepped into the room. He kept his blaster on the seemingly mad scientist. Zonlain did stop when he heard the detective. He slowly released his hair from his grip and stared at the four of them with a surprised expression.

“You have come to see, yes?” he asked. “To adore, yes?”

They moved cautiously into the room.

“What the kriff is this place?” Lando asked as he moved further inside. He frowned at the machines on the table, but he was more interested in the computer.

“To see, yes. Yes.”  the scientist repeated lost in himself.

“Professor Zonlain. You have to answer to our questions!” Leia spoke up. Zonlain’s  gaze fixated on her. He stared unblinking and started moving towards her with outstretched hands.

“Twins, yes. Force blood, yes!”

Han stepped between him and his wife and sneered at the other. Rys moved too and placed his blaster into line of the scientist’s gaze.

“Step back!” he ordered.   

Zonlain blinked from one of them to the other. “To see, yes?”

“To see what?” Rys demanded.

“This you should.” Lando interjected. The holo-projector came to life and it started playing a gruesome scene. It showed the monster attacking someone dressed in military clothing. Han’s gaze fell upon the corellian stripes on the man’s trousers and the sneer found its way back to his face. The man tried to fight back against the creature, but he had no chance, but before they could witness his death, Lando turned the projector off.

“Beautiful.” Zonlain breathed.

“Beautiful?” Han shouted and grabbed the scientist by his collar. “That man died! Many sentient beings died because of that thing! Now you will tell me what this is, how did it get here and how to kill it!”

The scanner in Leia’s hand beeped and she glanced down at it. She forgot to turn it off. There was a blinking light on the screen. There was something or someone in the other room. Suddenly she felt an urge that she couldn’t ignore and she slapped her hand down on the door's controlpad and it slid close.

***

Luke sat with crossed legs on his bed and tried not to clench his teeth in pain. He tried meditating, but he couldn’t clear his mind because of the pain. He gasped and let go of the Force again. He doubled over and barely managed to hold up himself with his arms. Artoo beeped worriedly next to the bed.

“Trust me! I have to do this!” he replied between heavy breaths. He had to restore his connection to the Force, because it was calling for him. Scratch that, it was yelling at him. There was something he had to do, but first he had to find out what it was. He took another deep breath and rearranged himself back in meditation pose.

_Clear your mind, let the Force in!_

The first part went easily after years of practice, but as soon as he reached out for the Force, the pain arrived first. On impulse, he changed tactic and pulled the pain in. He willed it into every cell of his body and when he thought he couldn’t take more, the Force reached back. The vision came how it had done before all of this started. He saw the creature and Han, Rys covering Leia with his own body. There was Lando crouching over somebody while firing his blaster at something. Then he saw red and golden waves.

The vision ended and he fell back onto the bed. As he lay there gasping for breath he felt a pull inside his body. He closed his eyes and examined the feeling. Then he suddenly understood. Of course! So simple! How did he miss it before?

“Artoo, bring me my clothes.” he forced the order out.

_“No!”_ the little droid argued back.

“Now!” it was nearly a shout. Something he had never done to Artoo before. The little droid didn’t reply, but rolled to the tiny furniture that functioned as a wardrobe an pulled our his black clothes. He deposited them onto the bed and rolled away, still too silent. Luke bit down on his lip and went through the horrible task of changing. His whole body was screaming at him when he finally finished, but he couldn’t rest. He reached out a tentative hand towards the droid. He feared that Artoo would refuse him, but somehow the little droid found it in himself to roll back to him and accept his apologetic pat on his dome.

“Sorry!” Luke whispered. Artoo whistled softly back.

“What are you doing?”

Luke turned towards the door when he heard the sharp female voice. Mara glared back at him. She strode into the room and she reached out her hands to force him back to bed.

“Where is Leia and Han?” he asked.

“I will tell you when you get back to bed properly.” she replied and placed her hands onto his shoulders. He held his ground and pushed her hands away firmly.

“You will tell me now!”

Mara stepped back with slightly widened eyes. Something had changed, that she sensed. The bad feeling she had had before the surfaced again. “Luke? What’s going on?”

“I know how to stop it, but I have to do it now.” Luke’s blue eyes took on a lighter, colder shade again. The sign of his darkening mood. “It will attack them. We are running out of time. Where are they?”

She hesitated, but gave in eventually. “Zonlain has a secret lab. I’ve told Solo about it. He’s probably gone there.”

Luke nodded and leveled himself to his feet with visible effort. “ Let’s go!”

She stepped forward and grabbed his shoulders again. “Luke! You are in no condition to face something like that. I’ve seen that thing. Tell me what to do and I promise I’ll stop it, but you have to stay here!”

Luke’s hands wrapped around her wrists and his eyes grew even colder. “There is nothing you can do or anyone else. It’s up to me and I will do it with or without your help. Your decision!”

Mara glared at him, but this time it wasn’t the farmboy challenging her, but the Jedi Knight against whom she could never win. She changed her posture and slipped a hand around his waist and pulled his arm around her shoulder.

“With me.”

***

“Leia?” Han blinked at his wife and he let go of Zonlain’s collar. Leia placed her forefinger in front of her mouth and the men shut up. In the silence they could heard a soft sounds from the corridor. The door of the room was made out of durasteel, but it had a narrow glass window in the middle of it. Though, it was dark outside the corridor, they still could see something moving slowly past the door. They heard a soft growling sound.

Silence followed again, but something deep inside her warned Leia not to lower her guard.

“Is it…” Lando started to ask softly, but before he could finish, something slammed against the tiny window and it cracked. The growling started again, then it turned into squealing. A dark substance started dripping through the crack. As the amount of substance slowly increased, the crack widened and tiny shards of glass fell to the floor. It wasn’t dripping anymore, it was flowing inside.

“What the kriffing sithspawn!” Rys hissed. He grabbed Leia by the arm and pushed her behind himself. Han backed away from the door and the growing puddle. The flow lessened and turned back into a drip.

For seconds, nothing else happened.

A long fingered, long clawed hand shot out of the puddle, then another. They were followed by a faceless head, then a torso and two very long legs. Han wanted to pull the trigger on his blaster, but Zonlain stepped between him and the monster.

“My beautiful creation!” he cried with awe and reached his arms out for the thing. It cocked its head to the side and seemed to consider the scientist. It raised its arm and with one swift move, cut Zonlain’s throat open. It raised the still twitching man and threw him across the room. Leia let out a strangled sound as the bloody body crashed into the table between the machines. Han cursed loudly and fired his blaster at the monster, it was on its highest setting. The monster screeched at swept his claws his way, but he dodged them.

Rys joined in the fight with his own weapon. They monster roared and turned his way, but was stopped in its attacks by Lando’s blaster shots. The dark-skinned man was kneeling next to Zonlain’s body. He had turned the table over and created a makeshift cover. He waved with his left hand for Leia and when Rys pushed her with his retreating back, she darted for the table. She fired with her blaster too, but all the four of them managed with their joined attack was halting the monster. However they couldn’t hurt it significantly.

***

Mara helped him out of the speeder and they entered an old building next to the research facility. There were several boxes threw haphazardly around inside. As the two of them staggered further in, he felt a series of sharp pains hitting his body. Gasping he leaned forwards and grabbed his side.

“Luke?” Mara whispered worriedly.

He clenched his teeth and forced himself upright again. He knew what it meant finally and that they were running out of time.

“We have to hurry!” he hissed and took another step.

***

“It’s not enough!” Leia yelled at Lando as the monster started advancing under their continuous fire. “We need something bigger!”

“I’m open for suggestions!” Lando replied through clenched teeth. Han was forced to back further away by a swinging arm. The thing prepared to jump, but its movement was disturbed by Rys’ shot to its knee. It roared furiously. It leaned to the side, grabbed a box and threw it at the detective. Melcon didn’t have time to get out of the way and the box slammed against him. He stayed on the floor unconscious.

The monster squealed loudly, then turned its faceless head towards Han. it raised its arms and prepared to lunge. Han’s back hit something solid behind him. He ran out of space to retreat. As it bent its knees, the door behind it was ripped out of its place hitting the monster so hard at the back, that it staggered forward. The humans stopped firing in shock.

Luke stepped into the room his light blazing eyes fixated on the monster. The thing spun around and roared at the Jedi. It lunged at him, but Luke’s next shove with the Force slammed it against the wall.

“Run!” he ordered.

Lando grabbed Leia’s hand pulled her out of their cover, then from the room. Han rushed to help Mara with the slowly waking detective.

The monster screeched and shook its frame. Luke attacked it again with the Force, but something pushed back equally harder. The Jedi gasped.

It could use the Force too!

Their wills strained against each other. The pain in Luke’s body was steadily growing. He knew that he had to make his final move soon. He concentrated on the creature in front of him and everything else seemed to slow down. The connection that they shared and he had just found out about was oh so clear in his mind. He imagined grabbing it with his hands. The creature flinched and took a step back, but still strained against him with the Force.

Luke shut his eyes and thought about the waves of red and golden hair, bright smiles of a family, cheerfulness of loved friends.

He should have said goodbye...

He ripped the connection apart.

He felt pain like nothing before and felt the burst of energy that threatened to consume everything in its way.

He screamed.

***

Mara was pushing the staggering detective and Han in front of her when she felt something heavy push against her chest. She spun around and saw as a blinding light filled the room they just escaped from. She felt the wave of the explosion approaching, but her senses were filled by the pain that ripped at her heart and the sudden emptiness in her mind. She couldn’t think as she fell to her knees her mouth open with a mute scream. Her grief sent a Force blast into the world that met with the explosion and cracked the building around them, but saved their life in the same time.

***

Something pushed Han to the ground on the top of Rys. Waves of uncomprehensive energy kept them down. He felt blinded and deafened. He imagined death to be like this.

Then everything stopped and silence fell upon them.  Han raised his head and looked around dazed. His gaze fell upon Mara who was sitting on her heels close to him. She was shaking. He reached a tentative hand towards her, but she crawled away. She rose staggering and hurried towards the room they had come from.

He followed.

However, she stopped at the door and just stood there, staring inside with wide terrified eyes. She was crying. He stepped behind her and looked inside.

He suddenly understood the clenching feeling around his heart.

The room was empty. The walls were brutally cracked, they threatened to collapse. There were burnt marks all over the place, but that was it. Nothing else. Nobody else. Han squeezed his eyes shut.

“Han!” Lando sounded frantic, so he turned and looked towards his comrades. His friend was hovering over his wife, whose whole body was twitching and shaking on the floor. He ran back to her and tried to gather her into his arms, but it was getting worse. It turned into a full-blown epileptic seizure in a second.

“Leia!” he called her name desperately.

“We need to get her help!” Lando yelled and shook Han’s shoulder. The ex-smuggler looked around desperately. Rys was leaning next to the wall and stared at them with a faraway look on his face.

“Mara!” Han shouted as a last resort. The red-haired woman didn’t move. She just stood staring into the empty room with silent tears rolling down her face.

“Mara! Mara, please! We need help! MARA!”

She slowly turned towards them. Her green eyes blinked at Leia. Then somehow she found it in herself to move. She sank to her knees next to them and placed her hands onto the other woman’s head gently. She closed her eyes.

“Take her hand!” she commanded softly. Han didn’t hesitate and grabbed one of Leia's hands and wrapped his around it. Slowly her movements lessened, then Leia’s body went limp. This time Han managed to pull her close and rocked their bodies gently.

"Help is on the way!” Lando reported and put a reassuring hand onto Han’s shoulder while his fingers clenched around his commlink.

Mara just looked on silently.

***

She didn’t know how much time had passed, she just found herself sitting at a table in the cafeteria of the med-center with a hot chocolate in her hands. She had vague memories of a med-droid which checked her out and of Lando who had placed the hot drink into her slack fingers.

“This will help!” he had said. How ironic, she thought.

Lando was gone. She was alone. Good.

She closed her eyes and must have lost time again, because when she opened them, she wasn’t alone anymore. Han was standing in front of her on the other side of the table.

“Can I?” he asked hoarsely.

She blinked up at his face. He was pale and his eyes were red. She nodded. He pulled out a chair and sat down tiredly. His glance fell upon her drink. Something flashed in his eyes, but he didn’t say it out.

Good.

“Leia?” she asked after sometime. Her voice sounded strange.

“She will be fine.” he answered.

She nodded slowly. Good.

“Thank you!” she blinked at him again, so he explained. “Whatever you did. It helped.”

"I’ve helped her connect to you.” she said looking away. There was no one for her to connect with.

Silence fell upon them again. She should drink her chocolate. It would go cold. She didn’t move.

“Do you think he is gone?” Han asked finally. He sounded strange too. 

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She forced her thoughts to quiet down. She needed to focus. She opened her eyes and leveled them at the ex-smuggler. 

“As the Emperor’s Hand I learn something important.” she started. “No one is dead until I have seen the body.”

Han regarded her for a second. He nodded finally.

Good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I am so sorry.  
> Second, this is the first part of a trilogy. Next episode is CRADLED BY THE SHADOW, coming soon!


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